A Nobody and a Somebody
by RenjiLuvah
Summary: He yearned for a heart and his existence. She yearned to share her heart and questioned her own existence. Fate would bring these two unlikely characters to cross paths. Full summary inside! \AxelxTifa/AkuFa/ NO SCENE BREAKERS. In the process of Beta.
1. Prologue

** I have been beta-ing these chapters one by one on my free time. I hope that you will see a difference in them. (9-20-07)**

**Author's thoughts:** The purpose of this prologue is to make Final Fantasy 7 (along with some other FFs possibly) make sense with the Kingdom Hearts series. **If you don't care about any of that feel free to just go ahead to chapter 1!** The last three paragraphs of the prologue will help lead into the first chapter though. **This is an AxelxTifa fic and I swear if you read on, I will make this story worthwhile!** Enjoy!

Rated Teen, possible hints of sexual content. Lemon link provided on my profile. **MAJOR FF 7 spoilers, Advent Children spoilers, Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 spoilers along with Chain of Memories possibly.**

**Story Summary: **A Nobody who wants to feel like a somebody comes across a somebody who always feels like a Nobody. He yearns for a heart and his existence. She yearns to share her heart with someone who would appreciate it and questions her own existence. Upon traveling through the realm of darkness between worlds, he notices her. He is drawn to the pain weighing down in her heart, slowly sinking into darkness. He could smell the loss she is grieving day to day, drowning in her loss as he has done himself.

It is said that a Nobody with no heart and a somebody with a heart could not possibly share anything in common, but perhaps it was fate that would cause these two paths to cross. Fate would bring these two unlikely characters together in their discovery to their hearts, their existence and to knowing that not everything can be explained.

**Prologue:**

Years ago on a distant world, a threat came to a planet unknown to others. This threat was known as Meteor. An Ex-SOLDIER by the name of Cloud Strife knew the man who was causing it. He was known as Sephiroth who was at one time considered a hero and was also a top ranking officer in SOLDIER. His sanity had been lost upon the discovery of an extra terrestrial entity that once threatened the planet ages ago, JENOVA. He was injected with Jenova cells since birth and was convinced that she was his mother.

After research he had come to believe that he was the last of the Cetra people that the planet had betrayed thousands of years ago and killed off. In his vengeance, he burned Cloud's hometown, Nibelheim, to the ground. Even after his death, he lived on inside of Cloud's spirit and manipulated him so that he could take hold of Holy and destroy the planet in which he thought killed his ancestors and live out the will of his mother JENOVA.

Cloud and his friends journeyed on a mission to find Holy in hopes that it would save the planet and that mission brought Aerith, the last of the Cetra, to her demise. Yet, her spirit and her heart still lived in the life stream and it was that, that stopped Meteor from destroying the planet. Although Sephiroth's physical form was long destroyed, he lived strongly in the depths of Cloud's mind and heart. Cloud finally defeated him and his group of friends had come to rest. Although the planet now seemed safe, it was still weak.

Cloud Strife's heart was still weak. Regrets of Aerith's death stirred in his mind constantly and caused him to go off on his own, often neglecting those around him. His heart stood in the twilight between the light and the darkness. The memory of her was his light and at the same time what made his heart heavy with regret.

Tifa Lockheart, his childhood friend, was also the light that shone brightly whenever he thought he'd lose himself into the depths of his dark heart. She looked after him always and loved him unconditionally although he could not return the same. He had cared for her and even loved her, but nothing would douse the pain burning in his soul.

Almost a year had passed and Tifa Lockheart stood faithfully by his side, even when they're planet was devoured and lost in turmoil among the darkness. It seemed other worlds were lost as well and the group was separated. It was then, that Cloud Strife had come upon the Underworld. Seeking the answers to what had happened to his friends and automatically accusing Sephiroth as the possible cause of it, he was hired by Hades in hopes that he'd re-unite with his archenemy and find his answers.

It was that very boy he was ordered to destroy, Sora, who opened his eyes and revealed the real cause to his world being consumed into darkness. It seemed that boy, this keyblade wielder, was the only way his world could be restored. Eventually Sora defeated Ansem, the man responsible for the chaos amongst the worlds and the lost hearts.

Cloud had found Sephiroth in the Olympus Coliseum, but once again, he was not destroyed. He failed to destroy that darkness within him, although he had somehow met up with a light he never expected and that was Aerith. The memory of her smiling face was the last thing he remembered before re-appearing in his own world thinking it was nothing more than a dream. Memories of Sora and his adventures were forgotten and his world was restored. Of course he hadn't noticed since his memories were wiped out after Sora destroyed Ansem and locked the door to Kingdom Hearts along with the paths to other worlds, leaving Riku and King Mickey in it's darkness.

A year had passed, two years since Meteor, or so he had thought, along with the rest of the inhabitants of his world with no memory concerning their world being consumed to darkness and destroyed. Cloud and Tifa formed an orphanage and transporting service, moving on with their lives. This orphanage housed ill stricken children. A malady called "Geostigma" spread throughout the world, afflicting many with its ill effects of extreme fatigue and open sores on the skin. Cloud was also infected with this although he tried to hide it.

Still lost in his regrets from Aerith's death and the weight of his condition, he came upon a trio of men who bared a striking resemblance to the darkness within him, Sephiroth. They were searching for their "mother" also known as Jenova. They obtained her head and plotted another Reunion, attacking Midgar and it's children, spreading Geostigma to achieve their goals.

Yazoo and Loz, two of the men were eventually defeated and somehow Kadaj, their leader, had transformed into Sephiroth before Cloud's eyes. Sephiroth was not defeated by Cloud although he finally vanished, leaving his sadistic laughter echoing in the air. His haunting words were left to echo through Cloud's mind, "I won't remain just a memory". Kadaj closed his eyes to greet death and the sweet voice of Aerith awaited him in the life stream.

Cloud along with the children infected by their sickness, were cured due to a pool of water left behind in Aerith's church. Tifa smiled at him as she watched the sores on his arm disappear and she welcomed him home. She had hoped that this time, he would never escape her loving grasp.

Even though Cloud was now cured and he could return to his normal life, he still lived on, shutting his heart from others. It seemed that Aerith had forgiven his sins and he'd even seen Zack nearby her, so he knew she wasn't alone and he was also forgiving him. Still, he could not let go of the haunting words that Sephiroth had left behind and vowed to kill off that darkness. His world was still weak and slowly fading. His world seemed to still be doomed as the darkness lurked in the atmosphere again. A door opened into the realm of darkness and he ventured into it, sensing the familiar stench in his heart. His friends objected and Tifa ran in after him.

Cloud followed the darkness in his heart upon a world called Hollow Bastion, (aka Radiant Garden) in which he met a man similar to him in many ways known as Leon, who had also lost his world and ventured through the realm of darkness. Yet, Leon's world was now restored and as he worked on it's reconstruction, it was still incomplete. Leon would not say how. It seemed that he too, had lost some of the people in his life that had not returned home.

He stuck by this man and met up with Aerith once again before he set out to find his darkness- Sephiroth. He had also crossed paths with a Cid and a Yuffie who were a part of this world, although they resembled friends from his own world. Tifa was separated and alone. She also landed in Hollow Bastion and set out to find her childhood friend in whom she loved- Cloud.

As she searched through the world and met friends along the way such as Sora, Donald and Goofy, she still had not crossed paths with the one whom she was searching for. She could feel him near, but it seemed fate had not allowed them to meet just yet. She fought alongside her new friends and decided to help with the restoration of the world as she searched on to no avail. Still, she kept a glimmer of hope in her smile.

Yet it was _he_ who saw through it. He could sense the darkness brewing deep within her heart. Envy, regret, sorrow; so many dark emotions were clouding the light within her. As much as she held onto that light, it seemed that it was slowly fading. He sensed her feeling of loss similar to the one he was now experiencing.

With Kairi out of his grasp thanks to the work of Saix, he was now running between the worlds and the darkness, trying to find purpose and struggling with his memories and decisions. Roxas had gone and he was now a traitor to Organization XIII.

As Sora ventured on through the worlds to defeat the Organization, he was alone. He didn't belong anywhere even though he didn't have a place to belong from the start. He was slowly accepting his fate, but it was this woman that caught his attention. He didn't know why, but something led him to pursue her when he was not in hiding and watch her.

He watched her search for her friend who was obviously so lost in his own darkness, he avoided crossing her. He watched her smile in the sunlight and the moonlight of the night would reveal her true loneliness away from prying eyes. It seemed that she too, had nowhere to belong.

Perhaps it was in this, that they would cross paths and find each other.

**-----------------------------------------------------------**

**So that was the prologue to summarize the FF7 and Advent Children events with the Kingdom Hearts series to make sense. I really thought it out and tried my best to come up with it. I didn't include every detail from the games but that's why you play the games for yourself. **

**This takes place after Axel took Kairi and Sora has not found out yet that Saix whom he hasn't met yet had taken her away. I was wondering what Axel did on his free time when he wasn't helping Sora and he wasn't with the organization so my story is my version. Hope it was entertaining. Review Review!!!**


	2. Chapter 1: Harsh Words

**Beta done 8/15/07…**

**On with the story after the insanely long prologue! Also for those of you that aren't familiar with my work, I update weekly and even at times, daily so don't worry about a story that's gonna leave you hanging for weeks at a time. Enjoy!**

**------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 1**

The nighttime breeze gently scraped past his cheeks as he stared up into the indigo sky. The pale moonlight shone upon his fiery features giving them a somewhat violet hue. He closed his emerald eyes in thought and reminiscence. After all, thoughts were the only thing a Nobody was able to do. He could not feel emotions since he did not have a heart.

He sighed to himself as he sat on a high ledge in the Bailey looking down at the steps. Once again, he found himself following this woman, connecting with her feeling of loss and sensing the darkness brewing within her as time went by.

So much was happening around him and there was nothing he could do to aid. He was getting tired of wandering through the worlds and through the darkness. He had made an effort to help Sora since he had reminded him so much of Roxas, but he had failed. He had no purpose and the only thing keeping him from fading away was his curiosity to see the fate of the worlds due to the Organization and Sora. He wanted to see who would prevail victoriously.

He also wanted to use the remainder of his non-existing life to observe the mysteries of one's hearts. He wanted to see what made humans so special that they thought they were better than the Nobodies. It's not like they ever asked to be born and asked to be empty shells. It wasn't their fault. Fate was cruel to them and it would not allow them to exist, even though that was all they had ever desired.

He traveled through the worlds seeing various emotions expressed and observing how hearts seemed to work. He saw how hearts connected and people willingly gave their hearts onto others and either received the same in return or their heart was betrayed and broken by another. He even realized that there were so many humans out there who had a heart, but acted as if they never had one at all.

Humans seemed so ungrateful to him. There were so many things he could not understand and so many things that couldn't be explained. Still, he searched for the answers to these equations until he could find something else to occupy his time and interest him.

Lost in his thoughts, he hadn't realized that he had lost track of the woman that he was pursuing. She had been sitting on the steps, ridding whatever heartless that bothered her during her moments of meditation. She was lost in her own thoughts when he saw her and he decided to watch her and do the same. By the time he had looked down from the high brick ledge he was sitting on, she was gone.

He furrowed his brows as he stared onto the vacant site. She was nowhere to be found. Just as he was about to stand up and leave, he felt a presence behind him. He grinned as he recognized the familiar heart lost between her darkness and her light. His little hobby was finally discovered.

Tifa put her fists up, ready to fight if necessary. Her body stood in defensive stance as she stared at the man cloaked in black. He was sitting in front of her. She was facing the back of his fiery spiked head and he stood still, obviously not threatened by her presence. This baffled her and even angered her.

"Why have you been following me?" she questioned him angrily.

Axel shrugged his shoulders. He slowly stood up from the ledge, but did not turn around. He turned his face slightly to reveal half of his arrogant smile. "I don't know what you're talking about".

"You know damn well what I'm talking about. I've never seen you before, but I've sensed your presence at times. I didn't notice it at first, but eventually I felt your eyes on me mostly during the time I spend alone. What are you scheming?"

He laughed, not that he found it funny because he was unable to express humor, but for some reason it was an emotion he had learned to mimic. Although he had no heart, he remembered what it was like to have one. He knew that if he had one, now would be the time to laugh.

"Nothing, nothing at all. I didn't realize it was a crime for a guy to wander around at night and just happen to run into you by coincidence".

Tifa didn't like the fact that he seemed to find her amusing. She grew even more furious. She spent her nighttime hours alone to dwell in her own thoughts and she didn't want anyone else to see her in such a weak state. It was a side of her that she only kept to herself until she realized this man was making a mockery of her or so it seemed.

"Aren't you one of those guys that Sora's after? The Organization? What business do you have here?"

Axel shrugged again, "Is Sora after me? Not really? Am I from the Organization? Not really? Business? I told you- I have none".

Tifa pressed forward, still with her fists up. She was unsatisfied with his vague answers. Axel still stood with his back facing her, his body relaxed and wearing a smug grin.

"Liar!" her voice grew louder as she shook her head in disbelief. Her long chestnut hair swayed in the wind as her nails dug into her raised palms.

Axel stood silent for a bit. He scratched his chin in thought as she spoke to her, "Well…I could tell you, but I doubt you really wanna know. They say the truth hurts after all, not that I know what that feels like, but hey, it's your call".

She nodded her head "Tell me".

Axel sighed and slowly turned to face her. His smile had worn off and he locked his intense gaze with hers. He still showed no signs of threatening intentions and she wondered why.

"I lost something…I guess. So I'm trying to find it".

"And what does that have to do with me?" She was slowly relaxing her body and her voice was becoming calmer. She realized he had meant her no harm.

"Nothing really, I just sense that you've lost something too, so I kinda feel like-"

Tifa cut him off, "You can't feel anything! Nobodies do not feel! Don't act like you understand me!" She blurted it out unintentionally. She didn't mean for it to come out the way that it did, but she was so embarrassed from the fact that he had seen her in her loneliest hours that it didn't matter.

He looked up at her, his eyes furrowing. His face expressed anger even though Nobodies were not supposed to express anything. His tone returned her harshness.

"Don't act like you understand me! You think you're so much better because you have a heart! Look at you, you have a heart and you're letting it sift into the darkness! That shows how great you are! Stupid human!"

Axel cringed at her in disgust as he opened the entrance to darkness behind him. He disappeared into it and Tifa was now standing alone. Her body relaxed as she stared at the empty space where he once stood moments ago. Her eyes were wide with shock. She didn't expect him to lash out at her that way.

The brunette crossed her arms in front of her. What did he mean by her heart sifting into darkness? She felt bare as if he could see right through her. It was as if he saw behind her lying exterior and saw what was really brewing inside of her. This frightened her. She knew that there were uneasy feelings rising in her because of Cloud and Aerith, but she had no idea that anyone would be able to see it.

She wondered if she had said too much. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. She could learn as much as she could from the computers and the information that Leon dug up from Ansem's study, yet she'd still be in the wrong to assume she knew everything about Nobodies. She was not a Nobody, just like he was not human. She had no right to assume about him as he had done to her.

Either way, maybe he didn't deserve the harsh confrontation she had forced upon them. After all, through the time she had sensed his presence, he never tried to harm her. It was as if he was looking after her for some odd reason. Even though she was a bit ashamed to have been seen during her darkest and loneliest hours, a part of her felt comforted knowing he was there. She could not explain why she felt that way, but it eased her loneliness a bit.

Her curiosity tugged at her along with her regret for the cold words she had given him. She wanted to know more about why he was pursuing her and if possible, find out more about the Nobodies from someone who knew them most- a Nobody.

She finally decided, that next time they'd meet, she'd make up for what she had said and approach him differently. She knew it wouldn't be long. It was just a feeling, but she knew, that somehow and sometime soon, he'd find her again and this time maybe she'd pursue him.

Tifa turned around and jumped off the high ledge, landing on her feet and one palm. She stood up and walked back towards the town. It was late and time to retire for the night. After all she'd have to continue her search tomorrow for Cloud and at night, she'd meet up with this mysterious Nobody. She looked forward to it and deep down inside she hoped that it would go well.

**-----------------------------------------------------------**

**So what did you think about Tifa and Axel's first meeting? They kinda got off to a bumpy start but hey, wouldn't you react kind of mean if some guy was following you around? Stay tuned and let me know what you think.**


	3. Chapter 2: Sea Salt Apology

**Beta done 10/16/07…**

**I'm so glad for the reviewers that have taken the time to let me know that they have read my story. I was getting a bit discouraged because I'm used to getting reviews faster I guess. I was even thinking of taking the story off, but I decided to keep going cause it was a story I really want to write and I don't wanna let down the readers that are reading it. I guess it was to be expected since most of my stories are Jak and Daxter and I was writing on a new category. Thanks for the encouragement and I hope more ppl take the time to let me know that they're interested in my story. **

**------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 2**

Tifa ran toward the Bailey under the night sky full of stars. She cautiously held the two ice cream sticks in each fist as she ran, hoping it wouldn't melt too much by the time she had gotten there.

She used her legs to rid any heartless that moved in her way. They didn't seem to bother her too much. They were mostly around when Sora was in their world. He had left earlier today, so the number of heartless decreased.

She gasped as she began to feel the cold and sticky liquid streaming down her fingers. Mumbling under her breath while she stopped at the steps, she looked upon the high ledges and smiled once she spotted what she was looking for. She ran toward a brick wall, using her legs to pivot her into the air and land upon the ledge. Once she stabilized her balance on both feet and stood up, she walked toward the figure sitting at the edge.

His shoulders were slumped over. She knew he sensed her presence, but he did not bother to turn around as she approached him. His gaze stood on the sky as he leaned his elbows on his knees. Tifa stood behind him, tilting her head in question. Finally after a moment of silence, he spoke to her.

"I'm not in the mood for naïve assumptions today," he shooed her away a waving hand.

Earlier, he had told Sora about the Organization's plans to use his keyblade to release captive hearts in order to build Kingdom Hearts. It was enough that he was a traitor to the Organization, but he still couldn't bring himself to tell Sora that Saix had taken Kairi. After escaping Saix pursuing him, he was finally able to relax in the Bailey.

Now, this woman who was screaming at him yesterday had come to interrupt his quiet time. He wondered for what.

She held her arms clasped innocently behind her as her eyes rested on the floor. She wasn't sure what to say after what she had said the night before. She wasn't sure how to apologize and if her apology would mean anything either way. After a long awkward silence, Axel sighed.

"So, are you just gonna stand there and stare?" He turned his face slightly back and she grinned, encouraging her to walk towards him. Once he looked up, Tifa stuck one of her fists out with the melting Sea-Salt ice cream pop, offering it to him. His jade eyes widened in surprise at her innocent gesture and her wide smile.

"What's that?" He raised a suspicious brow at the strange object being shoved in his direction.

"It's ice cream. It's good".

He still gave her a confused look as he stared at it. She laughed, "It's food. You do know what that is right?"

"Oh yeah…of course, but Nobodies don't get hungry".

"So. You don't eat it because you're hungry. You eat it because it's good. Just try it. It'll make your mood better" She continued to tempt him with the ice cream until he finally reached out cautiously to grab it from her hand. She nodded with satisfaction as she plopped down next to him, crossing her legs in front of her.

Axel continued to eye the melting blue rectangle propped up on a wooden stick. Tifa met his confused gaze, "Go on. Take a bite…or is it…that you can't taste?" She was curious. She knew Nobodies didn't have hearts, but did their bodies feel things like theirs did?

"I may not have a heart, but I can taste ya' know. My body has the same senses as yours does. I can feel hot or cold. I can feel pain. Just like I can see you right now I can do everything else".

He seemed slightly offended by her curious question but he knew she meant no harm. Why was she doing this? Was this to make up for the night before?

Axel saw the guilt swirling in her large brown eyes. He figured it'd be best to satisfy her and eat the damn thing. He rushed forward to take a big bite and Tifa suddenly lunged forward about to say something, but it was too late. He had already taken a big chunk of it in his mouth. His forehead wrinkled and his lips puckered. His head throbbed and his teeth hurt.

Tifa laughed, "I was going to say not to eat so much at once. Since it's cold, it'll have that effect on you".

Once it melted in his mouth, his face relaxed in relief. "Yeah, thanks for telling me," he shot her a sarcastic smile.

"Sooo, how is it?" She watched him as he continued to eat the ice cream, a bit more cautiously this time.

He nodded, "Salty and sweet. It's ok". He didn't' really mean that, but he wanted to tease her. He was also a little reluctant on opening up to her.

She gasped, feigning offense, "Ok? That's it?"

He shrugged in response. Tifa shrugged back and pouted slightly. Then she brought her attention back to her own ice cream. They stood in silence for a bit as they stared up at the sky. It was Tifa that broke the silence.

"So…do you have a name I can call you by?"

He glanced at her briefly before looking up again. "Axel. Got it memorized?" Another wise grin grew on his face. "And yours?"

"It's Tifa," she threw her bare Popsicle stick onto the ground below. Axel threw his down after hers. "So can I ask why you've been following me?"

"Last time I tried to answer that question, you lashed out on me".

"Don't worry, you're safe. I promise," she reassured him.

He seemed a bit hesitant. After a moment of thought, he decided it was okay to tell her. She seemed trustworthy enough.

"I sense…darkness within you. It's a darkness similar to mine. It's the same darkness you feel when you've lost something".

She was surprised at his answer, "Darkness? In me?"

Axel didn't bother to explain. He knew that deep down she knew what he meant and she just didn't want to admit it. She sighed in defeat finally after seeing he wasn't going to respond. "Can you tell me more…about what you sense in me? And about yourself?"

She leaned forward unintentionally to gaze at his solemn face as he spoke, "Now why would you wanna know about me?"

"Well I kinda feel like…after yesterday, maybe we do have a lot to learn about one another and our kind. Maybe we do have something in common and I'd like to find that. All these nights I've wandered around the Bailey alone and drowning in my thoughts. Even though I was angry at first when I discovered you, I guess, now I'm glad to know I'm not the only one drowning you know?"

Axel nodded. "Sure. I understand".

"So are you gonna tell me?"

Axel nodded again, "Sure, but one thing first" She raised her brows in question. "About the ice cream…I lied. It did make my mood better".

"You see, I knew it" Tifa laughed, earning Axel a playful punch on his arm.

That night they stood under the stars, confessing their heavy pasts. It didn't matter that they had only met yesterday. She knew Axel had been watching her for longer than that and even though they never exchanged words at that time, it was as if they already knew each other through their emptiness.

It didn't matter if she had a heart and he didn't. They just needed to release what weighed their minds for so long. They needed to release what they were too ashamed to speak of to others or because no one else would listen. Even if they didn't understand completely because of their differences, the one thing they understood was darkness and loss.

She told him about her history with Cloud and about Aerith. She told him how she had felt and at times wondered if he even loved her the way she thought he did. He had never said it or made much effort to express it. She had met Aerith and even heard about Cloud telling her he'd come back to her no matter what. It made her wonder if he even wanted to go back to their world with her.

Did he forget about her? Was her searching pointless? Had all these years been a wasted one-sided love? Or did he just love Aerith more? What was her purpose in his life?

Axel told her about his companionship with Roxas. How Roxas was different from the others. He was strong minded optimist. Spending time with him was enjoyable. He made him wish he had a heart. Then Sora awakened and he tried to get Roxas back, but finally gave up, knowing Roxas was meant to stay in Sora's heart. That was where he belonged.

A part of him was happy that he had found his place and at least now he was lucky enough to have a heart. It was the kind of luck that would never be granted to him. Axel had no memories. No birthday. No past. He was a traitor and now a loner. He wanted to exist, but only if he had a reason to. That was probably what he had been searching for during his free time, not to exist, but a purpose in existing. Perhaps in Tifa, searching for purpose as well, he hoped they'd both help each other come upon an answer.

As orange began to glaze over the brightening sky, they were still sitting in the Bailey, too lost in conversation to notice the time.

"So, you're saying that if I dwell too deeply in my regrets and envy towards Aerith, my heart may be consumed to the darkness?"

Axel nodded, "And you'll turn into a heartless, but since you're strong at heart, you'll also have a Nobody that would imitate your physical form as your empty shell".

"Well I can't just make my feelings disappear".

"I know that. It's the same with me. You can't just make believe things didn't happen. That's why you have to find your light. Even if it has nothing to do with this Cloud guy".

Tifa understood. The last thing she wanted was to give into the darkness. How could she save Cloud from his own darkness without ridding herself of her own?

"Well, I can tell you one thing," Tifa turned to Axel, waiting for him to continue, "I've felt your darkness lighten tonight"

Tifa's cheeks grew a shade of pink as heat rushed to her face. Her palms cupped her face as she turned away, "I- I don't know what you mean".

Axel smiled, deciding to change the subject. "Can we…meet up like this again? No more sneaking after each other?"

Tifa nodded, "Sure, I don't mind".

She got up and brushed the back of her legs with her hands. Pins and needles tickled her legs from sitting so many hours. She was tired too, even though she had to admit, staying up was worth it. At least now she could get a peaceful rest with some of her worries lifted off her shoulders. She waved at him farewell.

"See you tomorrow. Don't get caught by Saix".

Axel waved back as he watched her jump off the ledge, landing on her feet. He admired her skill. He watched as her dark hair swayed behind her and her body disappeared beyond the Bailey.

_See you tomorrow Tifa…I'll be looking forward to talking to you again._

**---------------------------------------------**

**Aww aren't they cute? Come on, you know they are. Well next chapter it should start heating up so look forward to it. Hopefully I'll get more reviews now. That's it, I'm not updating till I get at least 4 reviews for this chap. ::crosses her arms:: Gee I hope I do cause I don't wanna stop writing this fic Lol I know it's gonna get good. I wish everyone else knew how good I'm planning to make it. **


	4. Chapter 3: Promise

**Beta done 10/16/07…**

**Hey everyone. Sorry it took a while to update but I was away from my comp for a while and all my documents are there. I wasn't doing it on purpose despite what some of you may think and trust me, I was dying, I mean DYING to write a new chapter and update ASAP. I was writing story outlines, writing a chap on paper, anything to cure my writing burn but nothing worked so I couldn't wait to get home today and see my precious computer. ::hugs her computer::**

**Also as for what I said in the last chapter, I really didn't mean it all that seriously. I wasn't throwing myself off cliffs or stomping around the house because of a lack of reviews but hey, I guess some ppl took it to the heart. I apologize if I offended you. It was a cruel joke I guess. Gomen ::bows::**

**Also a reviewer said something about me overusing the word "she" too much but besides "she" and "Tifa" what else is there? Well that seemed to be the only paragraph I did that in but I'll try not to do it so much if it bothers. **

**However I'm glad that I enticed so much emotion from my readers (even if it was bad emotion, maybe even a bit flamish) and I'm really glad for all the support and encouragement left in all of your reviews. I tried to respond to all of 'em. Either way time to shut up and get on with the story. **

The **Chakram** is a throwing weapon that was used by the ancient Indians; it is a flat metal ring with a sharp outer edge from 5 to 12 inches in diameter. (This is Axel's weapon name from what I discovered)

**---------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 3**

Cool gusts of wind breathed against the trickling sweat sticking inside Tifa's black uniform. Her chest heaved heavily as she stood with her fists up in offensive position. Long hair blew against the curves of her confident, smiling lips.

Across from her, the fiery haired man stood gazing at her intensely. His emerald eyes focused on her, awaiting her next move. Firm, slim arms spread out, clenching his Chakram. His sly smile mirrored her own.

"What happened? I thought you were gonna be a challenge?" Tifa cracked the knuckles on her raised fists with her thumbs.

"Oh, trust me, I'm going easy on you. If anything, you're the one who's out of breath," Axel spun the weapons along his fingers, causing a light orange flame to go ablaze around its edges. "Looks like I made you sweat".

"Hah! We'll see about that," Tifa lashed forward, her long slender leg headed straight for his chest. Axel crossed his arms in front of him with his weapons to block her strike. Her body dropped to the floor as she swung another kick beneath him. The redhead jumped over her while twisting his body to swing his weapons to her head. Her head flew back from his blazing swings as she jumped away from his continuous slashes.

She dodged each of his flaming swings, her neck bending, her body twisting fiercely. Axel's arms cut through the wind as he tried to hit her. Finally he criss-crossed both of his Chakram at the same time. As Tifa's body bent in half towards him, a few strands were cut from her long flowing hair, thanks to his slashing. She uppercut him in the stomach and a small groan escaped his lips.

Just as she was about to release an arrogant laugh, Axel unexpectedly threw his weapons to the floor and they vanished. His arms wrapped around her bent over body as he lifted her with his strength. He sent her body flinging over him as he carried her into the air, over his own body, suplexing her.

Before her body crashed to the concrete, her heavy boots stomped on the ground, stopping her from hitting the floor at full impact. Finally, their bodies fell from exhaustion, lying on their backs with the tops of their heads rubbing against one another's. They both breathed heavily from the exercise.

"I win," Axel tried to laugh through his heavy breaths.

"No, I made you release your weapons," Tifa protested, enjoying the playful competition between them.

"Ahh, but I did the finishing move and if that was all my strength than you'd have a broken spine by now," Axel raised an informative finger at her with a tease. He found that in the last two weeks of them meeting in the Bailey, he enjoyed toying with her. He could tell without looking that her lips were pouting or her cheeks were turning shades of red.

After a few moments of catching their breath, Tifa slowly sat up. Axel sat up with her as she turned her body to sit beside him. They rested their elbows on their knees, letting the clinging sweat on their bodies cool with the breeze.

"So, what was that for?" Axel asked out of curiosity. After all, it was her that had started the friendly sparring without so much as a greeting when she had found him sitting on the ledge.

"Nothing really. Sometimes when we're not talking, we just sit here in silence so I guess I wanted to try something different and liven it up a bit. I also wanted to see how strong you were".

"And?" Axel raised his brow at her with a sly grin. As his expression widened, her cheeks flared red. She turned away from him, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"You're alright," she mumbled, still trying to hide her heated cheeks.

Axel shook his head at her. She sure had pride despite how Cloud had made her feel at times. It was good that she had at least that, even if Cloud wasn't going to make her feel strong, she kept herself strong at heart. She had been doing better at it since she vented out to him that night in the Bailey when they ate ice cream. Axel felt the darkness of her sorrows lift a bit whenever she was around him. He knew that if he had a heart, this would bring him joy. Either way, he was glad he was having such an effect on someone.

It seemed she brought a somewhat similar effect on him. His mind was put to ease when they were together. It was as if, instead of drowning in their losses, they were finally learning to float and swim. Maybe someday they'd swim away from it completely.

Axel stood up in front of Tifa and held out his hand. She looked up in surprise, wondering what his intentions were.

"You're right, the bailey is getting kinda old. So whaddaya say I take you somewhere you've never been before?"

"What do you mean?" Tifa seemed a bit hesitant. She had been through the realm of darkness before when she jumped in after Cloud. It was brief, but enough for her to feel the heaviness of the darkness within it. She didn't know how they got out of it. She was just following Cloud who was following his own darkness before they were separated. If she was alone, who knows if she would've made it out of the endless realm.

Axel's expression turned solemn. His bright eyes showed sincerity and he continued to offer his open hand for her. "Trust me, Tifa. You'll be going through the realm with me. I won't let anything happen to you in there".

"But what if it gets too dark for me?"

"That's why I'm here. Fire helps you see in the dark".

Her large brown eyes locked with his. Somehow her body seemed to relax and her worries were calmed. She put her hand in his and allowed him to help her up. He lifted his other palm to the air where a black hole appeared, growing large enough for them to enter. He stepped in with one foot and looked back at her, squeezing her hand with reassurance. "I don't know how you made it out before, but don't let go of my hand and get lost. You might not be as lucky as last time".

This just made her worry more, "Oh great, thanks for the tip".

Axel smiled, "Don't worry, I gotcha".

Suddenly he pulled her in. She watched as the opening closed behind them and her fingers clenched his tighter. He seemed to run into no particular direction as he led her by the hand. She kept her eyes on him the entire time.

She looked around briefly to see the bright colors and symbols floating around them and just as the air seemed to weigh heavier and grow dimmer, another opening appeared in front of them. He quickly pulled her out from that opening and it closed behind them.

Her knees hit the sandy floor as she released his hand, catching her breath again. He stood standing next to her, waiting. It took a moment for her to realize her surroundings. It was a world she had never been to.

Her fingers grabbed the cool grains of sand that slipped from her palms as she tried to lift it. She lifted her head to see the vast ocean spread out in front of her, glistening against the pale moonlight. Her eyes widened with surprise and a child-like grin grew across her lips. The sky was clear and dark, stars speckled across it freely. Tall palm trees waved lightly in the night's wind. It was quiet and so calming.

"It's- it's beautiful," Tifa admired as she took in all of her surroundings. "Where are we?"

Axel looked down at her, his arms crossed in front of him comfortably. "This is the world I found Kairi in, before Saix took her of course".

"So, this is where Sora comes from? Wow, this is beautiful. I wish my world looked this way, but because of all the Mako that sucked up the life of the planet, it doesn't look it's best anymore".

Axel finally settled beside her. She continued to lift the grains of sand in her hands, marveled by its beauty and feel. Axel smiled at her child-like features. He couldn't understand how a human with a heart could not appreciate the small things in this woman, these small things that made her what she was. As usual, humans were ungrateful and Cloud was one of them.

Tifa made him wish he had a heart just so he could experience the warmth she'd give off from the look on her face at that moment. Either way, he enjoyed watching her, with or without a heart. He didn't need to have one to know she was different from many of the other women he had observed.

"Still haven't found him huh?" Axel broke the silence.

Tifa shook her head as she sighed, "Nope. Not yet. I just hope he hasn't gotten himself into too much trouble".

"Mmm…" Axel looked ahead at the ocean. After Kairi had been taken, this was a world he'd visit often. He admired its beauty and it was a great place to dwell in his thoughts without interruptions. Somehow, he knew Tifa would like it just as much. After all, they were alike in so many ways.

Suddenly, Tifa jumped up with a new burst of energy pumped into her. She pointed down at him, her other fist perched on her waist. "I challenge you to a rematch".

Axel nodded, "Keep it up and I'll have to use my trump card on you…but then again I'd fade away if I did".

"Fade away? Does it really use up that much of your strength?" Tifa seemed suddenly concerned.

"Yeah, it's pack a punch, but I don't plan to use it unless it's worth sacrificing my life for it. I can knock out maybe a thousand Nobodies with it"

Tifa went on her knees next to him again, "So does that mean that I'm so strong you're afraid you'll have to use that on me?" She giggled. The tables had turned and now she was teasing him.

"Please. I could beat you without weapons with one hand probably," Tifa shoved his shoulder playfully in response. "So…ya wanna see what it's like?"

"What do you mean?" Once again Tifa grew a little worried.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna do it. Just show you the opening position to execute it that's all".

Tifa's eyes grew wide again as she nodded. Axel stood up, "Ok I'll show you, but that, you'd better not memorize," and he gave her a wink.

Hours had passed before they stepped out from the realm of darkness, returning to their usual spot on the Bailey. Once again, Axel had led her by the hand just in case. The opening closed behind them. It was dawn already.

Tifa yawned and brought her free hand to cup over her stretching mouth. She realized her hand was still intertwined in Axel's and quickly released herself. She spun around to look at him.

"That was fun".

"Glad you liked it".

Tifa held her hands innocently behind her back. She hesitated for a bit as she focused on her feet, "Can you promise me something?" Axel nodded in response and she continued, "Can you try not to use that move that you showed me?"

Axel's eyes widened. He didn't expect such a request from her. "Why?" He drew closer to her without realizing it. He couldn't explain why and he didn't resist it. It was as if his body was responding to her in some way and had an urge to be closer. He looked down at her, inches from her face, awaiting an answer from the suddenly timid woman in front of him.

"Well…it's just that, when you said that you'd fade away if you used it, it kind of made me sad. I mean, I know you can't understand because you can't express emotions but it's just that…"

Axel couldn't resist his body's pleadings anymore. He allowed his hand to lift her chin on instinct. He had no idea why he wanted to be close to her, wanted to be near her, why he wanted to look at her.

Her trembling eyes lifted and within a split second, without warning, her lips shot up to meet his. His body grew stiff and he released her chin. His hands floated in the air, not knowing what to do, not being able to comprehend the warmness spreading through his body and the bumps growing along his skin. Heat spread to his face as he stood there, motionless. It was brief and broken within seconds.

Tifa backed away, cupping her hand over her mouth in embarrassment, "Oh my God, I'm sorry. Forget I ever did that".

She quickly turned away from him and jumped onto the steps of the Bailey. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. He did know, however, that he didn't want her to leave without saying anything first.

Just as he was about to call her name out, she turned back around to look up at him, still standing on the ledge. He was stunned as he looked down at her, baffled and dumbfounded. She smiled as if nothing had happened.

"See you next time," she gave him a quick wave before disappearing toward the town.

Axel stood standing on that ledge for a few silent moments. What were all these things that his body was experiencing right now? He could not understand it. He had seen couples kiss as he observed throughout the worlds, but could not understand it. He could not remember what it was like to love and he didn't even know if he ever even experienced the emotion in his past life. Yet, now here he was, a victim of this woman's kiss and unable to comprehend it.

He raised his fingers to touch his lips, still slightly warm from hers. He was full of questions and yet, he had to admit, although he could not comprehend what was happening, he liked it. He enjoyed the way she made him feel. He enjoyed the fact that she made him want to feel. She had a mysterious way about her that made all his worries disappear and he looked forward to being near her. It was almost as if he was addicted to her presence.

He smiled to himself. Although he could not understand her actions or the things growing inside of him, he knew that this was an experience he'd like to try again. Even though he had no emotions, with her, he was willing to try and find them. He wanted to find his heart and hopefully some day she'd accept him when her heart was no longer dragged down by Cloud. After all, he was a Nobody. He had nothing to offer her, but his presence beside her and his very best.

For now, however, he was satisfied with their nightly visits and their one kiss. He had finally found something interesting that made him want to exist just a little longer…

"Don't worry, Tifa, I promise".

**---------------------------------------------------------**

**Told you it was going to start heating up. You think I'm moving them too fast? Well I didn't expect this to be so long but oh well. Tell me what you think. Just cause it's been so long I'm updating with two chaps so onto the next one Hooray!**


	5. Chapter 4: Sleeping Darkness

**Stinking FF was being ridiculous. I couldn't log in, review, do anything on this damn thing. It said something about maintenance on the 29th but ever since the 27th all I got was BS on this thing. I practically wrote the whole story waiting for this thing to fix up and I just thought of the boiling anger of the reviewers that thought I was doing it on purpose to them. I just finished writing chapter 7 but I'm still editing it. I left my PS2 memory card in my bf's so without videogames and work I had plenty time to write Lol. Enough talk, back to Axel!**

**-----------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 4**

Axel lay back against the cold brick on the Bailey. He rested his head against his palms as he closed his eyes. The sun was tucking itself beneath the horizon so that the darkness could cloak the sky. It was a calm day.

He could almost remember what it felt like for her lips to be against his, although it happened so quickly. He had already missed it, wished to feel it again. She was just like Roxas and Sora. They made him want to strive for a better purpose and to live fully. They made him feel like he was someone. Except the effect Tifa had on him was different. After watching over her for so long and after that accidental kiss, his body yearned to be close to hers. He enjoyed her scent, her smile, the way it felt to be sitting next to her. He enjoyed their conversations and it was as if fate was nice enough to let him cross paths with this unique woman. He knew that if he had a heart, he'd hate Cloud for always taking her for granted. If he had a heart, then maybe, he'd have more to offer her than he did now as a nobody.

Saix had been so involved with Sora, Kairi and helping Xemnas restore Kingdom Hearts, he hadn't found the time to chase after him lately. He was grateful for it. It was nice to have time to kick back and relax. It was early and he had done nothing all day except for the usual wandering through the worlds. Finally he decided to give in to slumber. For nobodies, sleep was not a necessity just as hunger but since there was nothing else to do, he gave into it.

The sky had already grown dark when his eyes shot open. His body flung up from his resting place as his brows furrowed. He felt it and he felt it strong. He hadn't been able to track it in the last two weeks because it had grown weak but it seemed it had regained strength at that very moment. It was the darkness within Tifa's heart. It was throbbing, resurfacing from the depths of her heart where light had been shielding it.

Axel stood up and looked around. It was later than usual and she still hadn't shown. Axel jumped down from the ledge. He knew he had to find her, find her before she allowed herself to give into the darkness. He wouldn't allow that, not after all the progress they had made together, after all she had learned from him, after spending time with her. He didn't want to lose the Tifa she was now. It was the only thing keeping him in his own existence.

Axel entered the realm to re-appear in the marketplace. He closed his eyes in deep concentration. She was close. He could sense it. He lifted his head towards the wizard's home. He ran through the narrow streets and past the wizard's house. The darkness was stronger and closer. He closed his eyes once again, trying to pin point it's exact location.

Finally his eyes shot open and he ran down another narrow street, looking up onto the second story of a building. No light shone from the windows but he knew she was there. She had to be. This darkness could only belong to her, the same darkness he once suffered from…loss.

He entered the realm again to re-appear in a dark, small bedroom. As he quietly emerged from the closing hole, it seemed she hadn't noticed him just yet. She sat on a chair, gazing by the window in silence. The moonlight made her skin pale. Her long hair was frizzy and draped over her shoulder. Her hands clasped on her lap as she slumped back against the chair. Her head hung and darkness concealed her eyes. Once again she was drowning and for some reason, she didn't come to him that night.

Axel slowly made his way toward the chair. He didn't want to startle her. He also wasn't sure if she even wanted him there. After all she had chose not to meet him. He was prepared for her to lash out at him like when they first met. Yet now that he understood her better, now that he knew her better, he wouldn't just lash out and disappear, unless she wanted him to.

He stood still next to her chair. He wasn't sure if she realized he was there yet or if she was just sulking in her misery. He cautiously reached out his hand to place on her shoulder. Her body did not stir at his touch.

"Tifa-" he whispered to her. Before he could say anything else she suddenly lunged off from the chair, throwing her weight onto him. Tifa buried her head into his chest and he felt the throbbing of the inner struggle within her heart. He wrapped his arms around her back and stroked her soft strands of hair away from her face. No sound came from her and no movement. He knew that she was holding it in, just like when no one was around. Yet now he was here, he was a nobody but he was something and he wasn't going to allow her to hold it in as if they had never met. He knew for some reason her darkness changed once she met him and he wanted to do it again, do it tonight more than ever.

"Release your sorrow. Holding it in will only let the darkness consume your heart faster"

It seemed those whispering words were powerful enough to break her from her still life motions. Her body suddenly shivered and sobs were muffled within the black material on his chest. He clenched her trembling body closer as she cried. She clawed her fingers around to his back.

Axel was caught speechless once again. He couldn't understand why she'd be this way after she had gone so far from her darkness lately. How did she come back to where she began? Who caused her to feel this sudden grief and sorrow? One name came into his mind and he clenched his fist at the thought of it…Cloud.

He returned his attention to the weeping woman in his arms. He rested his chin on the tip of her head, inhaling the sweet aromas in her hair. Tifa's body relaxed and her sobbing eventually grew quiet. Still she kept herself in Axel's warm embrace, with her cheek nuzzled into his chest. She couldn't hear a heartbeat in his chest but she heard him breathing steadily to her own. She sighed a bit as she just closed her eyes, leaning on him and not offering a word of explanation.

Axel led her to the bed. He sat on the side with his back leaning on the wooden headboard. He opened his arms and offered them to her once again. She did not make eye contact but instead crawled beside him, allowing herself to be taken into his embrace. Her hair tickled his collarbone as he leaned his cheek on her.

Once again his body reacted to her. Her warmness spread onto him, making him feel as if he belonged in their embrace. The bumps growing along his skin had vanished after some time and now he was just comfortable. He was taking in her warmth, her smells, and the feel of her curves within his firm arms. As always he was protecting her. Except unlike the times when he just followed her, now she was giving herself to him to protect her, to protect her from her own darkness.

Time wore on but Axel had barely noticed. He was too hypnotized by her presence. Her head grew heavy and he looked down at her face. Her eyelids seemed to have fallen some time ago and she was now fast asleep. Her darkness had fallen asleep with her.

He carefully leaned her head back on the pillow before standing up beside her bed. He grabbed the blue covers and draped them over her gentle curves. He didn't intend to but his palm suddenly went to her cheek to cup her face. Some of these things his body did when she was around, it was doing on its own, not that he minded. He stared at her close eyelids where her large brown eyes were concealed. He looked upon the curves of her face and the way her hair draped over her neck. Finally he looked upon her lips, pink, soft and sweet.

He wanted to kiss her but he knew a time like this was inappropriate. First he had some urgent matters to attend to. He whispered to her, still cupping her face, "Tomorrow, I'm going to find the cause of your darkness…and burn him to ashes"

He released her face and disappeared into the realm. This Cloud guy was irritating him. He had seen him before but never had any interest in him or knew his name until he met Tifa. Still there were so many mysteries of these beings with hearts that he could not understand.

What did Cloud do to her? What did she ever do to him to deserve everything she had received? Did he have any love for the woman and if he did, why was he not beside her?

"Ungrateful humans" Axel spat underneath his breath as he wandered through the dark realm. He wasn't sure where Cloud's world was or where to find him but he'd gladly take the time to find out. He needed to have a word with this Cloud.

A sly smirk marked his lips as he thought about what fun it would be if he could slowly fry him with his flames.

"One side order of toast coming right up"

Those were Axel's last remarks before he exited out of the realm to somewhere unknown.

**--------------------------------------------------------------**

**Wow so Cloud seemed to have pissed Axel off. Well not that Axel can feel anger but he really wants to "have a word" with him. So Cloud and Axel will meet, now that won't be such a pretty sight will it? Don't you love when hot men fight? Muahahaha!**


	6. Chapter 5: Burn Me Baby

**Thanks guys for all the encouraging reviews. It really helps. I'm even going into the chaps I already wrote and making them more descriptive and trying to make the story longer and better. I just finished reading a story from one of my fave authors Leafygirl called Loophole. It made me wanna go into my story and fix it knowing I can do better cause her writing is amazing. If you're a Naruto fan, I refer her work to you. Even if you're not a fan of the pairings, I guarantee you will be when you're done with her stories. Anyway so yeah, now I wanna try and make my already planned out plot a little more complex and make the story last longer. Yay more fun for us all.**

**------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 5**

The air was dry and the sun blazed merciless upon the cracked sand on the ground. Weeds reached for the sun from the cracks and in this desert like area, clashing steel was heard in the distance. Blades cut through the wind and two men moved swiftly across the skies and sharp cliffs. Murderous intent called from the slashing blades that threatened each other and thirst for blood.

Their eyes burned into one another's as their swords clashed against each other. Sparks were sent flickering past their masculine faces and neither squinted. The black winged man with flowing silver hair seemed to be enjoying the aggressive encounter. Meanwhile the other man in black uniform and blond hair seemed to grow angrier by the minute.

"I told you, I cannot be destroyed" Sephiroth reminded his opponent in a cool tone of voice. He knew it would only make his opponent angrier and he found pleasure in doing so. He lived to pluck this man's sanity and to haunt him constantly.

Cloud snarled angrily and threw down his heavy buster sword with full force. Sephiroth easily dodged with lightning fast reflexes and swung his long sword back in response. Cloud blocked. Once again their swords met and it was going nowhere.

"I swear I will destroy you with everything I have"

"You're naïve Cloud. The only way to destroy me is to destroy yourself. I am you and you are me"

"Shut up!" Cloud swung again but his blade was still unable to touch Sephiroth's body even the slightest bit.

They continued to swing at each other fiercely, jumping off walls and walking up cliffs. Their swords met again in another stare down. Cloud breathed heavily as he stared onto the calm face of the man who possessed him. Sephiroth shook his head.

"That's it Cloud. Let your rage devour you. Give into the darkness and continue to feed me. Continue to give me life" Sephiroth laughed sadistically to mock Cloud.

Cloud felt helpless. He had nothing but hate for this man. If not hating him would make him disappear, that was an impossible task. This man played with his mind, tried to destroy his planet and now he continues to mock him. He mocks him in his thoughts, in his memories, in his life and in his nightmares.

"Dwell Cloud. Dwell in your past and drown in the sorrows of your hopeless future"

Cloud shook his head. This time Tifa wasn't here to shed her light on him like she had done earlier. There was no Aerith to offer him the same. The darkness within him was growing heavier inside, suffocating his heart. His chest heaved heavily as he tried to resist it. He couldn't help it. He was so angry, so full of hate, so full of regret. As much as Tifa and Aerith tried to remove his darkness, it was too dark to purge completely.

"You're such an idiot," remarked an unfamiliar voice, "I don't know what she sees in you"

Sephiroth smiled, "We shall meet again" and vanished before Cloud's eyes. Cloud's eyes widened. After he had followed him back to his own world, now he was gone again. Nothing was settled between them. He was beginning to think that no matter how much he tried to fight it, nothing would ever become resolved. Maybe Sephiroth was eternal.

Cloud growled, growing angrier by the interruption and spun around to face the unfamiliar voice. The winds were growing strong and grains of sand blew past his squinting eyes. He clenched his buster sword at his new threat.

Long red spikes strung up from the man's head. Black tattoos trailed beneath the man's bright green eyes. He was cloaked in black and his sly smile stretched on his joker-like face seemed to be laughing at him. It didn't take long for Cloud to decide he didn't like the look of this man.

"Who are you? What is your business with me?" Cloud demanded, still standing in offensive position, ready to strike if necessary.

Axel shrugged and laughed, "Oh nobody really, just traveling through the worlds looking for something interesting and then I found you. It amused me to watch you slowly let darkness possess you. I could hardly wait for the day it takes over you completely"

"You're one of the men from the Organization aren't you? The group that Sora is hunting down to destroy"

Axel shrugged again, "Maybe, maybe not. Who knows?"

Cloud was getting irritated with everyone mocking him and playing mind games. He had finally reached his limit and lashed toward the red headed man. To Cloud's surprise, his attack was blocked with two strange weapons in the man's hands. A circle of fire now swarmed around them. Cloud looked at his opponent for an explanation and he just smirked again.

"Touchy today aren't we? That's too bad. After all the time it took for me to find you, this is how you greet me"

"I'm gonna ask you one last time. What business do you have with me?" Cloud spat through his gritted teeth.

Axel's face grew serious and his brows furrowed. "I want you…to burn!" Axel spat back.

Axel began violently slashing his chakram at Cloud. Cloud blocked this stranger's obvious intention to destroy him. Finally after seeing his attacks were not getting anywhere, Axel's body floated into the air above Cloud. He held his arms out and his weapons spun, rings of orange flames flickered at their edges.

Cloud rolled onto the floor once he realized the flames attacking him. He was surrounded in a circle of it. He was already exhausted from his encounter with Sephiroth and now this. The heat from the flames was adding to the trickling sweat along his body as if his previous fight and the temperature wasn't enough. Cloud supported his weight with his sword in the ground and on one knee. He looked up at the stranger relentlessly attacking him for no apparent reason.

"I don't understand-" before Cloud could utter another word of question, Axel responded.

"What did you do to her?"

"Her? Who-"

"You know who I'm talking about! What did you do to her? She spent all this time looking for you and then you must've done something to her!" Axel's cloak waved in the wind as he glared angrily at the man below him.

Cloud stood up in his defense, "I haven't done anything to anyone!"

"It's just like he said. You're naïve Cloud. You're so lost in your darkness you can't even realize what you're doing to yourself and what you're doing to others. The darkness is going to devour you soon"

Cloud was lost for words. There was so much on his mind he couldn't think straight anymore. Suddenly his Mako filled eyes widened and he realized it.

_Tifa! No, it couldn't be-_

"I guess because of your own darkness, there's no need for me to kill you. You'll just destroy yourself in time"

Those were his last words before he escaped through the realm of darkness. Cloud tried to run to it before it closed but the flames blocked him. Cloud shielded his eyes from it's fierce heat. By the time he looked up, the stranger was gone along with the flames. The realm of darkness had closed again.

He had no idea that Tifa had followed him through the realm that first time and didn't know she was looking for him until yesterday. He left to continue his battle with Sephiroth in their own world to prevent her from harm. Now that he thought about it, it had been quiet some time before she found him so what was occupying her before then? Was she who the nobody was talking about?

Once again his mind was full of useless thoughts. He shook them out of his head before deciding to venture out to find Sephiroth once again. He hadn't gone far. He could feel it. Sephiroth was the only way he would be able to come back to Radiant Garden. He told Aerith he'd come back and Tifa was left behind. He'd have to go find her and clear some things up.

It took some time before Axel could find the route back to Radiant Garden. It was enough trying to find his way in the first place. Going back would be easier though now that he knew how to travel to Tifa's world. He wanted to kill Cloud but he only left because he knew it was about the time he'd meet Tifa at the Bailey. As he wandered through the realm, he hoped that she'd be there.

Axel stepped out of the darkness onto the Bailey. He was surprised to see Tifa there, already waiting. Her back was turned to him as she huddled her knees. She gazed up at the sky. Her darkness didn't feel heavy anymore so it seemed she had calmed down.

He sat beside her without a word. He leaned one elbow on his knee and rested his other palm on the ground behind him. She did not turn to face him and she suddenly leaned in to rest her head on his shoulder. His body felt a bit awkward at first but complied. She sighed and closed her eyes. They stood in their silence for about an hour.

She finally looked up from his shoulder to meet his gaze, "Sorry about last night" she whispered in a voice barely audible. It was almost as if she was thinking out loud.

Axel nodded, "No problem, for a bombshell like you, anytime" He winked at her and she smiled back at him. She nuzzled her cheek on his shoulder more comfortably.

Axel looked down at her face for any signs of emotion or discomfort. There was none. "Wanna talk about it?" Axel couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.

Tifa nodded slowly, "I found him yesterday but I found him fighting with his long time arch enemy. I offered my light to him and faster than I could even say anything else he was gone again. I told Sora I'd find him because it was easy to find light but…"

"Couldn't find him again" Axel finished.

Tifa shrugged, "Well…it's not just that I mean, I couldn't find him but at the same time…I was tired. After all the chasing I had done and all the searching, after he had gone I just asked myself why? Why am I chasing him? I was beginning to wonder if I should even bother. It was so confusing and I guess after that…I fell apart"

Axel paused, unsure of whether or not to release the words urging at him at the tip of his tongue. His curiosity was sending swarms of thoughts and questions through his mind and he knew he could not contain himself any longer without some answers. "Sooo, you're not gonna look for him anymore?" he asked almost carefully, hoping he wasn't touching on a subject too soon to question.

Tifa shrugged again, "I don't know. I guess…I want someone to look for me. I'm tired of worrying, tired of chasing him, tired of staying home when he tells me to. I'm tired of always waiting until he's ready…" There was a long pause and Axel continued to observe her face for emotion. She sighed again, "I just- don't know anymore"

Suddenly without warning, Axel brought his hand to lift her chin up to him. He kept his intense gaze on her before closing his eyes, as if he was trying to lure her into his attention with some mysterious power. He whispered onto her face, "Tifa…I've always looked after you"

Before she could respond he pressed his lips on hers. Axel didn't have a clue what he was doing and what kind of trouble he might be leading himself into. All he knew was that he couldn't lose someone else. He refused to. He couldn't offer her his heart but if she accepted, he'd give her all that his empty shell would allow.

At first her body stiffened from surprise but eventually relaxed as she took in his warmth. She raised her hand to the back of his neck. Axel turned his head slightly as she began to lead them. They brushed their lips upon one another's, slowly, carefully, and sweetly. She felt all of her worries being lifted from her along with all her pain. It seemed she had the same effect on him.

Axel suddenly got up and led her by the arm. He lifted her up and pulled her to him, sliding her arm around his waist. He brought his face to hers again to kiss her, this time he was leading. His hands held her back and lightly brushed the ends of her long brown hair. She draped her arms around his waist as their bodies combined heat and they got lost in their kisses.

She had never been kissed this way before. Then again she hadn't really been kissed often since Cloud was the only man she was ever with but somehow she knew this was different. Although Axel was void of a heart, it was as if he was pouring whatever he did have into kissing her, into holding her, into pleasing her.

Axel brought his hand to caress her cheek, leaving her with a gentle but firm lingering kiss before he backed away. He searched her eyes for a reaction to what was happening. She looked up into his eyes, into the pools of green in his pupils, lined with a golden hue. His face hung above hers, letting his warm breath tickle her still damp lips. She brought her hand to cup over his, still on her cheek. She closed her eyes, sighing at his touch on her face. Axel watched her, realizing that she was accepting him, wanting to be in his arms as much as he wanted to be in hers.

He leaned in again; pausing briefly to let the his lips lightly wisp over hers and tempting her. Her head turned as she tried to bring her lips to his and he held her back, still tempting her with the light strokes of his lips. He couldn't resist it. He wanted to know if he was the true object of her desire, if she wasn't just going along with it. Tifa released her hand from his and traced it to behind his neck once again. Her fingertips trailed softly along the edges of his hairline and it sent a shiver up his spine. Out of reaction, Axel clutched Tifa tighter against him and gave her what she was now inviting, his lips on hers.

She opened her mouth to invite him in. He wasn't sure how to react until he felt her tongue tempting his to follow. Before he knew it his tongue was in her mouth exploring its ridges.

His hand found hers on the back of his neck and he locked his fingers with hers. They brought their clasping hands to their side as his other arm held her lower back and her free arm rested on his chest.

He had never felt this way. His body never reacted this way. He had never been so drawn to anyone as she had done to him. He had never felt so needed or had such a need for someone else. As he kissed her he felt like he was truly living, truly existing.

She had never been kissed so lovingly in such a long time. Memories of such a thing were long gone, buried in her past. Cloud was never the type to show much emotion to her and here was a being without a heart showing her more than Cloud ever had. It almost brought tears to her eyes to be in this kind of warmth.

Axel pulled away with their lips still barely inches apart. "Man Tifa, I knew you were hot but…" he whispered between them playfully.

"Oh I know. Think you can handle me?" she played along and nudged his chin lightly with her knuckles.

Axel's sly smirk grew wider. "Burn me baby" and he leaned in to continue where they left off.

Tifa allowed herself to be enveloped in Axel's caresses and kisses. It didn't matter if he was a nobody and that she had such a painful past. All that mattered was what they had in common and what brought them together. What mattered was that the empty void in the both of them was disappearing because of one another. That was all that mattered.

Entranced within their moment they failed to realize another presence looking up at them in the Bailey. His blond head shook with disapproval as he turned to leave.

_So that's what she had been doing before she found me. She's allowed herself to be swallowed in a nobody's deceit. This…is something I refuse to accept._

His figure disappeared towards the town. He'd find her room and he'd wait for her. It seemed they had a lot to catch up on.

**-----------------------------------------------------**

**Just when things are going good Cloud wants to stick his nose in! Selfish guy! Anyway stay tuned…lotsa drama in store.**


	7. Chapter 6: Love And Betrayal

**WOW once again I was greeted with an overwhelming number of reviews. I'm so glad that ppl are loving the story and that I'm doing a good job keeping everyone in character. As for Axel being Reno's nobody, yes they look alike but are unrelated. There's a site with info on everything and this same site where I found out about the chakrams, explains how you can find out the nobody's real names like the way Roxas came from Sora. Thanks Chelsea for reminding me and feel free to ask about the website where I got my info from. Yeah so sorry Wicked Lady, maybe Reno just had a brother no one knew about Lol. Hmm interesting thought…anyway glad everyone is pleased with the story. Also if you see any mistakes please feel free to let me know. It'll only help me further improve my writing instead of repeating mistakes. **

**------------------------------------------------------- **

**Chapter 6**

Hours had passed and Tifa had hardly noticed. She didn't really care. The orange appearing through the dark clouds announced the beginning of a new day. The damp morning dew began to rise in the air and the birds were emerging from their hiding places.

She yawned and stretched her arms out, arching her back before slumping back against Axel's firm chest. She rested her head beneath his chin as she sat between his two arching legs straddling her. One of his arms rested on his knee and the other hung around her waist. She closed her eyes and exhaled lazily.

"Tired?" Axel asked the brunette tucked beneath his chin.

Tifa nodded and shifted her body sideways. Her fingers hung on his sleeve as she curled up inside his embrace. Her head sliding heavily against him and as much as he didn't want her to leave, he knew it was time for her to go.

"You should get some sleep," he spoke into her hair. The sweet smell of her hair filled his nostrils. He inhaled it, trying to decipher between its scents of strawberries and champagne. It smelled drunkenly pleasant and maybe that was her intention when she washed her hair with whatever she used. It was an innocent aroma, yet secretly seductive and he smiled at the thought of it. Still she had not answered him. "Tifa" he called onto her again.

Tifa shook her head groggily in protest. Axel smirked and shook his arm to shake her body hanging off of his. Her eyes jolted open for a second and re-closed before she let herself fall back onto him.

"You should grab a bite to eat too"

"But I'm not hungry" she mumbled and almost on cue a vague rumble escaped her stomach and it vibrated against Axel's arm. Tifa's face grew a bright red as she cupped her face with one hand to hide her embarrassment. "You see, I told you" her muffled voice spoke through her fingers.

Axel sighed. He nudged the top of her head with his chin. Finally she lifted her head from him and looked at him with her shoulders slumped and heavy eyelids. He arched an eyebrow at her, urging her to take his advice and stop being stubborn, although he liked this stubbornness. Still she was human and she couldn't avoid sleep and food forever. Axel also didn't like staying in one place for too long. It was safer that way.

"Ok fine" she got up abruptly and brushed herself off. She ran her fingers through the top of her hair to bring the frizzes down and Axel got up behind her. It seemed she was using the bit of energy left in her to pout about getting up against her will. She clenched her fists and without turning to face him she mumbled, "I'm going now. Bye"

She stomped away and Axel stood staring at her with his arms crossed and calm. He shook his head at her and rolled his eyes. She was so fascinating, the way her moods changed and the way they affected his own moods. Once he realized that she jumped off the ledge and was gone, his jaw dropped in surprise. He scratched the back of his neck regretfully.

_So that's it? She just left just like that?_

He sighed, not approving of the way they parted and began opening the realm of darkness. Just as he was about to step into the warping ebony entrance, a hand roughly spun him around by his shoulder. He almost lost his balance and before he could say anything, a pair of soft familiar lips pressed against his. He felt his skin rise and the heat spread to his face. It was a new feeling that his body was growing accustomed to and he didn't object to it.

Tifa lingered there for a moment and enjoyed catching him off guard. Then she pulled away with an innocent smile before jumping off the ledge again. Axel watched her below with his widened eyes and she gave him a wink before turning to leave for good.

Axel's smile returned. He shook his head at what just happened but he couldn't deny that he was glad it happened.

_Women…they're so complicated…_

With those last pleasant thoughts, he disappeared into the realm.

Tifa continued to stretch and yawn as she dragged her feet down the deserted streets. Her intestines felt as if they were tying knots around her empty stomach. Her head nodded and tempted to fall as she made her way towards her destination. It was early in the morning and only the shopkeepers were waking up to open their stores. She lazily pushed the door open into an Inn where her room was booked. It was a hidden building standing inside a narrow street before Merlin's house and before the Market Place. She barely gave the Innkeeper a glance although the woman seemed to approach her about something. She ignored her, deciding that she'd find out what she wanted later.

She trudged up the green-carpeted stairs to the second floor, her head hanging lazily. She pulled a strap from her pocket and as she lifted her head up so that she could tie her hair, her body froze. Her tired eyes awakened and widened with surprise. She dropped her arms back down and approached the figure looming by her door.

He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His gaze pierced into the floor in front of him. He knew she was there but didn't bother to look up. He seemed to be in deep thought about something.

"Cloud you- you came back" she struggled to find the words to speak to him. She didn't think she'd see him so soon and after seeing him magically pop up after a night she had just finished having with someone else it felt awkward. She felt goose bumps beginning to crawl on her bare arms and thoughts of guilt intruded her mind.

"Of course I did, I always do," he spoke towards the floor in his usual emotionless tone of voice.

Tifa was speechless. Her tongue was stuck to the roof of her dry mouth. She hadn't expected that after all the time she had spent searching for him that he'd just appear in front of her so easily and so calmly. It was as if fate decided to play a cruel joke on her this morning. As always, fate was never good to her. Something good would happen but eventually the bad would come. Usually the sight of Cloud's face after a mission she feared would be fatal was the good thing and now for the first time, he was the bad in her morning. She shook her head back into reality, knowing she had to do more than just stand there dumbfounded.

"I'm- I'm glad you're okay," it wasn't a lie. It would always matter if he were okay or not. Yet a part of her was wishing that he had let her worry like he always did just so she didn't have to face him so soon. She still had so much to think about and so much to resolve in herself.

Cloud did not respond. He just nodded but kept his solemn gaze to the floor. Tifa's brows arched in suspicion and she approached the door to open it. She unlocked it and stepped in, flicking on a lamp in the process. She hated bright lights when she was half asleep.

Cloud followed and closed the door behind them. He leaned against the wall again. She looked back at him, knowing he was acting strangely. It seemed that every creak beneath her walking feet was louder than usual and the air in the room was too heavy to breath. She knew it was her own nervousness trying to get the best of her.

She sat on a chair next to a small round table where she would usually sit and eat. She offered the chair across from her but he shook his head. She sat back, folding her hands on her lap helplessly.

"Cloud…is there something-" before she could ask he cut her off. His head shot up from the floor to reveal the anger burning in his eyes.

"Why did you follow me through the realm of darkness? It was dangerous. I told you not to follow and you did so anyway" he lashed at her sternly.

It took a moment for her to register his tone of voice with her and she stammered in defense, "I- I wanted to be with you. I didn't know where you were going and I knew you didn't even know yourself! You were just throwing yourself into some unknown warping darkness and what was I supposed to do? Just stand there and hope for the best?"

"I was fine Tifa"

"Well I didn't know that. After all that's what you always do. You come and go as you please and no one ever knows where you're going or if you'll come back. What was I supposed to think?"

"You should have more faith in me," his tone grew louder.

"You should be grateful for me because when I found you, Sephiroth was eating your mind and you almost fed it to him willingly. I'm the one that snapped you out of it. Who knows what would've happened if I hadn't been searching for you in the first place" her voice rose above his.

Cloud stepped forward, "So the entire time you ventured around this world in search of me?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes! I searched every nook and cranny for you and when I found you, you just disappeared again" She slumped back into her chair, turning away from him and crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Nothing new…"she mumbled under her breath.

Cloud shook his head in disbelief. An awkward silence hung in the air. Tifa's heart beat ferociously in her chest and she felt the familiar pain returning inside her. She held back the burning in her eyes. He had never fought with her in such a way.

_Why did he have to show up now? Why is it that no matter what I do for him, he still brings me this same pain?_

Tifa toned down her voice, "Cloud…what's wrong with you?" She looked up at his face for answers, which was turned away from hers. He seemed deep in thought again until he finally turned to face her again.

He opened his mouth to say something but quickly decided not to and turned away again. Tifa got up from her chair and cautiously approached him. She timidly reached out to put her hand on his shoulder as she searched his solemn expression. His body did not react to her touch. She raised her hand to touch his face but was abruptly interrupted when his hand shot up and caught hers.

She gasped from being startled and he released her hand so that she could return it to her side. Her nails dug into her palms. This was her childhood friend, the man she had always loved and had always sworn to protect her. He was the glimmer in her eyes whenever he'd return home after days of missing. He was the smile on her face when she watched him with the kids at the orphanage they had established together. All she ever wanted was to be with him, to love him, to protect him and be his light. Now he was shutting her out as he had done so many times before.

"Why have you betrayed me?" He shouted out at her. She stepped back in shock.

"Wha- what are you-"

Cloud stepped towards her, bringing his face close enough so that she could feel his hot and heavy breathing. "I've seen you Tifa! I've seen you with that nobody!"

Her jaw dropped and she gasped. Her hand rose to cup her mouth. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and her knees grew weak. She had never expected him to see her with Axel. She knew she'd tell him in time but the part of her that hoped he'd never know was brought into the open. She never wanted to hurt him or make him feel betrayed. She never wanted his impression of her to be tainted and now it was. She quickly regained her firm composure and yelled back in her defense.

"He's not our enemy! He has not done me any harm!"

"Of course not! I've heard about him. He manipulates people. He's manipulating you"

Tifa shook her head, "No, that's not true! He's protected me! He car-"

"No Tifa! Nobodies cannot care! They don't feel! They have no hearts! He knows you're strong and he wants your strong nobody"

Tifa continued to shake her head and back away from him. He approached her and grabbed her arms that were raised in front of her. "Tifa, you're gonna get hurt…he's going to hurt you" his voice was firm with her and calmed down slightly. He tried to pull her resisting body closer to his.

Tifa threw his hands off of her. She leaned forward and yelled, "The only person that's been hurting me is you!" She immediately regretted her words as she watched his eyes widen. The truth had finally escaped her lips unwillingly and it left her feeling naked, unsure of what to do and what to say. She finally allowed her hands to tremble, letting her anger control her. She had already let her true feelings slip so it was best that she let it all out.

"Tifa…" he moved forward with an intention to reach out and touch her again but slowly brought his hand down deciding it wouldn't calm her down.

"You were always so far away from me, after you joined SOLDIER, after you disappeared, after your memories were meddled with. After we defeated Sephiroth and saved the planet from Meteor I thought it would get better" Tifa tried to avoid his eyes as she poured out to him.

She fumbled with her fingers nervously in front of her, using all of her strength to hold in the tears resting on the brims of her eyes. "It did for a while but then you kept thinking about her…thinking about Aerith and taking the blame for her death. You even caught the Geostigma and hid it from me. After we had worked so hard to establish the orphanage together, lived together in the upstairs room, I thought…"

Cloud's expression softened as his hand unwillingly lifted to offer her comfort once again. She backed away, shaking her head as her hair fell over her face to cover her expression. Her lips began to quiver against her will and her eyes glistened with tears he hadn't seen in years…or maybe she had kept them hidden from him.

"The few times I gave myself to you at night, the times I waited for you, cooked your uneaten meals and hoped you'd come back…I thought we could finally live our lives happily. Even after you were cured and Aerith had told you she'd forgiven you, you got better for a while until you saw Sephiroth again. It's like he possesses you. You forgot all about how I felt once again and just went about on your own!" her rising voice began to shriek as she went on. She clenched her sweaty palms into fists at her sides.

She scolded and belittled the blond man in front of her. He stood there motionless, unable to respond. It was true, just like the red headed nobody had said, he was hurting those around him without realizing.

She took a deep wheezing breath before she went on, "I was so happy when I saw you smile that day. When you watched the children be cured of their illness in the church and you had told me that you were home. I had never been so happy to hear those words. I watched as you laughed and smiled like I had never seen before in my entire life and as I watched you, playing with the kids in the healing waters, I thought to myself…maybe we could finally settle down and have some children of our own"

Although she smiled sadly her face was red from anger. Cloud's eyes grew wider at her last comment. He hadn't expected that. He knew she was always waiting for him and always taking care of him but he never thought of the day when she would get tired of it. He had never thought he was worthy of her love, much less worthy of being the father of her children. He had always protected her, always loved her in his own way but he had no idea that his ways had affected her so painfully.

He reached out to touch her again and this time her trembling body did not object. His fingertips brushed the hair from her eyes as she stared to the floor. He saw it. The vulnerability in her eyes, the darkness he had never realized. It pained him to see it, knowing that he was the one that caused it. His fingers stroked the curve of her jaw and just as he was about to lift her chin she threw his hand away. She didn't want to look into his eyes. His eyes were her weakness.

She ran past him and slammed the door open. He heard her stomping down the stairs and the stunned voices of the Inn employees as they watched the sobbing woman run out of the Inn.

Cloud looked upon his palms helplessly. After a moment he dropped them to his sides and walked out of her room, shutting the door behind him. He lifted up his buster sword resting in the hallway corner and put it on his back. Words could not describe the emotions he was feeling but would never show and it was those very things that lead them to where they were now.

_Tifa…I'm sorry. It's just that, I always wanted to protect you. I always wanted to keep you from harm and grant you happiness. I apologize for my failure._

**----------------------------------------**

**Cloud's really done it now hasn't he? Well I was watching Advent Children again and I was actually feeling sorry for Cloud. I love Cloud. I won't lie. I think I'll make it up to him by writing a CloudxTifa fic that takes place after Advent Children in the FFVII section. I want them to be together too…but not in this story.**


	8. Chapter 7: Reminiscence

**Once again, thank you for the reviews urging me to continue on with the story. I was a little stuck on how I should go about this chapter but I really pushed myself, knowing that readers were awaiting an update. There's more than one situation going on here so I decided to separate them with a line which I haven't done before but I've seen other authors do it and I realized how much easier and clearer it makes everything. So even though I didn't do it before, I'm going to start that now when the events within a chapter are taking place from different POVs and places. Better in the middle of this story than never.**

**Also thanks RaieChibiKid for the tip. I actually hadn't thought of that but you're right. I should refer to the Nobodies as if they were a race of their own and capitalize it. Hope it turned out well.**

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 7**

The sun blazed against her squinting eyes as she ran, the breeze drying the damp streaks on her cheeks. Her vision blurred and her chest heaved heavily. A wheeze escaped her panting lips as she stopped to take a breath. She leaned her palm on the cold gray slabs of the overpass before the Market Place, the other palm on her knee. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders and stuck to her skin.

She had finally allowed her emotions to get the best of her. All that was hidden beneath the depths of her heart were now released and even though a part of her was relieved, she was also ashamed. She had never allowed herself to show her weakness to Cloud. Now that the truth was revealed, it would be hard to face him. Words did not come to mind easily when it came to expressing herself to him.

She was afraid. She didn't know what to expect from him now or if she should expect anything from him at all. The words he had said penetrated her painfully as they replayed in her mind. What if he was speaking the truth? He made her question the feelings brewing inside of her. He made her question herself and once again she felt lost. He would never lie to her because although he had unintentionally hurt her in many ways, all he ever tried to do is protect her from harm.

She clenched the black leather of her vest as she straightened her body. She inhaled deeply, hoping the fresh air would calm her. The back of her palm wiped across her cheeks before she slowly entered the Market Place. Her head throbbed slightly and her heartbeat was still slowing down from the running. She hoped that by the time she had returned to the Inn, she wouldn't have to face another awkward confrontation with Cloud. She also hoped that if she didn't show up by the Bailey tonight, that Axel wouldn't notice. Of course she knew she was lying to herself. As much as she wanted to run from the reality she was so unsure of, she knew that she couldn't run from Cloud forever, and as for Axel, he noticed everything. Most likely he had already felt her darkness although she was trying her hardest to contain it, she knew that any time now, he'd come for her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Axel roamed through the realm of darkness, letting his eyes follow the kaleidoscope of colors upon its invisible walls. He was getting tired of traveling between the worlds to occupy himself. The days felt long as he awaited nightfall in Radiant Garden. Yet he knew he had no choice. Although Saix was too busy keeping an eye on Kairi within the castle dungeon and aiding Xemnas in his plans for the revival of Kingdom Hearts, he knew that he couldn't take his free time for granted. Saix was a very conniving Nobody. If there were something he could use to his advantage, he wouldn't hesitate to use it. That's why he couldn't be caught with Tifa. If Saix knew about Tifa, he'd definitely attempt to capture her and use her as bait to draw him in. However unlike Kairi, Tifa would put up more of a fight and might actually escape. Either way he didn't want to risk it. He had already made that mistake and he promised himself not to repeat it.

The realm began to grow dark and he held out his palm to open an entrance to some random world. He stepped out into an eerie purple hue, shining down from the moon upon gray sands beneath his feet. The ocean water looked dark and deprived of life. It really didn't matter what it looked like, as long as he was able to rest without interruption. The realm closed and Axel laid back against the cool sand. His ears meditated on the sounds of the waves and he closed his emerald eyes, welcoming some pleasant reminiscence.

His fingertips felt along the edges of his lips, trying to grasp the warmth of her lips there. He smiled as he thought about it. He could almost smell the sweet scent from her hair and he enjoyed the feel of her feminine body wrapped within his arms. He wished she was there at that moment, so they could listen to the waves together. It didn't matter if there was no conversation. He just wanted to be near her.

Axel slowly slid off his black leather gloves and laid them beside him. His hands cupped the cool sand around him as he let the grains fall between his fingers. It made him remember the sparkle in her eyes when he had taken her to Sora's world and she played with the sand. He let his fingers bury into the sand as his mind rewinded to that time, the way her hand felt in his through the realm of darkness. She had trusted in him to keep her safe and that was something he would not forsake unlike her longtime companion Cloud. After observing the inhabitants in various worlds and watching hearts work, he told himself he would not make the mistakes that they had. He would not take for granted what they did. He would not allow himself to lose what was precious to him again.

"I wonder what Roxas would've thought of you" Axel whispered to himself as he looked up into the indigo sky.

Just then he felt his heart pulse with a familiar sensation. His body shot up from the sands. He gripped his chest as he winced with the unpleasant feeling in his body. Although darkness was an element his body was already accustomed to, feeling her darkness now made him uncomfortable. It was something he couldn't ignore and when he felt it, he knew that something was wrong. He didn't like sensing her darkness when it was this strong and he wondered to himself what could have possibly gone wrong now. It seemed that whenever things seemed to go well between them, something else happened to make her feel this way. He slipped on his gloves and just as he was about to get up, another unpleasant and familiar sensation gripped his insides, causing him to pull out his chakram.

He stood up, spinning his chakram in his fingers, lighting the edges with flames. He didn't have to see his face to know who it was. His disgusting presence was enough to recognize miles away and he silently cursed himself for being distracted enough not to notice it in the first place.

"So we meet again traitor," a sadistic laugh escaped his lips as he brushed back a strand of silver hair behind his elvaan ears.

Axel's eye furrowed angrily as he let the name pass through his gritted teethe, "Saix…"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Tifa stepped into the Market Place, a familiar figure strolling about in thought caught her eye. For him to be out this early in the morning lost in his own mind was not an unusual hobby for him. He always occupied himself with all the planning for the city and eventually the rest of the land around it. It was good he had occupied himself. She heard how he had helplessly watched his world fall to darkness and took refuge in shame within Traverse Town. He even abandoned his name to hide the guilt he had felt. Now his name was his way of starting his new life and repaying his debts to the loss he had suffered.

He was very much like Cloud in that way. That was why she was drawn to him when she had first met him during her search for Cloud. It was that very thing that was drawing her to him now. Even though she couldn't understand Cloud at times, maybe someone who shared similar shoes might clear things up for her.

She forced on a weak smile and walked up to the man, resting his palms on a ledge, observing and absorbing his own surroundings. His long brown hair blew lightly to the breezes and his handsome scarred face expressed his deep meditation.

"Good morning Leon" Tifa walked up beside him, startling him from his daze.

Leon turned to her and nodded, "Morning" He looked back up at the brightening sky. Tifa watched his strange expressions, stirring the curiosity in her.

"What are you thinking about so early in the morning? More planning?" Tifa rested her elbows on the same ledge he was looking over.

Leon shook his head, "Not really" A flock of birds flew across them, casting their shadows against their faces. A falling white feather seemed to have caught Leon's eye and he lifted his hand out to catch it. It swayed gently into his hand and he stared at it momentarily before he clenched his fingers on the feather.

"Anything wrong?" Leon asked, seeing beyond her happy exterior.

Tifa was caught off guard and stuttered, "W-wrong? Nothing, just taking a morning stroll that's all"

Leon nodded again, "You take a morning stroll? I haven't seen you out this early for weeks"

Tifa was speechless. Ignoring his prying comment, she turned her attention to the feather in Leon's hand. Leon noticed her curiosity.

"Any reason why you're holding onto that feather?"

There was a hesitant pause before he answered, "No reason" He lifted his hand back up to release the feather. The wind picked it up from his palm and blew it away in front of them. Leon didn't take his gaze off of it. "You can't hold onto the past forever. Sometimes you have to look onto the future…"

Tifa tilted her head and stood silent. Was he pondering his past as well? She sighed, "Yeah but isn't the past a part of you? If there is no past then there is no future. Sometimes the past is the only thing that gives you a future"

Leon turned to face her; surprised that she had some philosophical words of her own. She smiled weakly again, also surprised at herself. She gave him another weak smile as she shrugged his shoulders and he returned her smile.

"That's true…the past makes you who you are and without it, there'd be no future," a strange expression passed over Leon's face. It almost looked sad. She hoped that she hadn't touched upon a memory inside him that he didn't want to remember; although she had a feeling he was already doing so. After a long moment of silence, she brought her hand to touch upon his wrist, leaning on the ledge. He looked up from his daze to face her, arching a brow in confusion. Just as her lips parted to say something, Leon snatched his arm from her grasp.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him as he took his gunblade from the floor. The blade glowed and pulsed as Leon's eyes looked ahead towards the middle of the Market Place. His fingers clenched the handle as he stood in offensive stance, watching the winged figure float ahead of them. Black feathers danced in the now heavy winds.

Tifa looked up to see what the commotion was about and her eyes widened. She watched as his long silver hair waved and his black wings opened to reveal the cool smirk on his face. She jumped back, also preparing to strike if necessary. This was something she didn't expect but as usual, luck was never on her side these days.

Leon cursed under his breath before he turned his head slightly towards Tifa behind him, "Where's Cloud? This is his fight. He'd want to be here"

Panic rose in her chest and her heartbeat shook rapidly once again. "I- I don't know," she whispered unintentionally in a weak tone of voice.

"What?" Leon called back at her.

She stammered, "I- I said I don't know! I don't know where Cloud is!" Her voice pitched up to a screech, once again unintentionally. Her nails dug into her palms. She knew that she was no match for Sephiroth although she could probably put up a good fight. As for Leon, she wasn't sure how he'd match up to him but either way, like he said, this was Cloud's fight. Why was Cloud's darkness here, of all places? Somehow the smile on his face made the hairs on the back of her neck stand. An eerie feeling passed through her. Somehow she knew that he had showed up here for a reason, not to see Cloud but because he wanted something with her. She tried not to give into the weakness in her knees and the churning in her empty stomach but she couldn't help the way she was feeling. She was helpless and caught off guard.

_Cloud…I- I need you here right now._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Axel caught his chakram in his hands before continuing to run. The kaleidoscope of colors swarmed around him and was slowly turning to darkness. After being between worlds for a certain period of time, the darkness consumes anyone in it. It makes it harder for anyone to find their way, much less escape.

Axel flung his spinning chakrams at the Dusks surrounding him, blocking his path. He hated the way their bodies seemed to twist and turn, floating around in the air at times like leaves being blown in the wind. It made it hard to aim at them and they were just irritating. He felt the beads of sweat trickling down the middle of his chest as he caught the chakram returning to him from the air. Saix took his time trailing behind him, it was that calm demeanor of his that disgusted him more than the Dusks did.

He wheezed and panted as he stood in the center of a swarm of dancing Dusks, staying cautious not to get attacked off guard. He really didn't want to but Tifa's darkness was leading him to her. Even though he didn't want Saix to know about her, he had to at least pass through there if only to catch a glimpse of her. As he drew closer along the path towards Radiant Garden another darkness worried him. It was a very heavy stench that he had sensed on his search for Cloud. It was Cloud's darkness, Sephiroth. Although he didn't care about Cloud and his inner struggle with his darkness, he would still willingly protect Tifa if Cloud's darkness tried to meddle with her. Something told him that this would not end pleasantly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What do you want?" Leon yelled up to the dark angel flying in the air above them.

A sly smirk spread across Sephiroth's face as he pulled his long sword from his sheath. He pointed it downwards towards the brunette being shielded behind Leon. "I have no business with you. My business is with her, the light"

"What do you want with me?" Tifa demanded, hiding her own darkness as to conceal her current weakness to Sephiroth.

"I just wanted to thank you, for showing Cloud the way to darkness. Because you are lost in your own darkness, he cannot see the light. You have willingly given him to me and I've come to finish him off"

"Not if I have anything to do with it!" She rose her clenched fists in the air. "You leave Cloud alone! Even when the darkness tempts me, I will always protect him! I will always be his light!" She gasped at the end of her sentence. She had said it. Although he had taken her for granted and was the very reason for the darkness hidden within her depths, she still loved him. She was still willing to protect him and no matter what, she'd be his light.

"So be it. You will not last very long with the darkness in your heart. I shall end your life swiftly," his black wings flapped and Sephiroth lunged forward. His long sword was met with Leon's gun blade. Sephiroth pushed forward and Leon retaliated with his own strength, gritting his teeth as he used his strength to hold Sephiroth back.

"Interesting," Sephiroth shared an intense gaze with the stranger holding up enough strength to keep him away from Tifa.

"No one dies in my town," Leon spat at Sephiroth, never releasing his furious gaze or his glowing gunblade from his long sword.

Sephiroth searched Leon's eyes, as if picking for a weak point in this stranger. His lips tugged into another sadistic smile in satisfaction. It seemed that he had found the weakness he had searched for in Leon's eyes.

"What's wrong? Making up for past regrets? Who did you let die in the past?"

Leon's eyes widened at Sephiroth's comment. Just as he was caught off guard, Sephiroth swung his sword and knocked Leon to the side. Leon crashed into the brick wall beside them, his gunblade sliding away from his grasp. Sephiroth landed gracefully on his feet in front of Tifa, preparing to strike again. She rose her fists, ready for him.

Just then she heard footsteps running behind her. The familiar voice yelled out, "Tifa!"

She gasped, "Cloud!" She turned to look back and Sephiroth looked up at Cloud approaching them. Cloud's figure running toward them with his buster sword out was the last thing she remembered before she felt Sephiroth throw her aside and her body flew into the same brick wall Leon was leaning against. Her back crashed against it and she could hear the cracks in her joints. Her head bounced off of it and her body fell to the floor. She smelled the stench of her own blood and the moisture leaking from the back of her head. Her nails clawed the floor as she weakly tried to lift her heavy head.

The shapes around her were blurs and the sounds were being drowned out. She heard the men calling out her name. She knew one voice was Cloud and the other was Leon but there was another. There was another voice calling out to her from above. It sounded like…Axel. Those were the last sounds she heard before the world spun and her eyelids fell. Her body went limp and everything went black. Even though she had tried to stay conscious, her body fell into the darkness along with her mind.

**-----------------------------------------------------------------**

**Wow so how did that turn out? I think I should do this more often with more than one situation happening at once. Hope it wasn't confusing.**


	9. Chapter 8: Always Protect You

**Janet, I know exactly what you mean! That's what I was saying when I played KH2 and they were explaining what the nobodies were and how they were just empty shells with no emotions. But if they're deprived of emotions their facial expressions should always be blank and they shouldn't really care about anything because well…they're supposed to be emotionless. Even Xemnas said it at the end of the game that they had no choice and they just wanted to belong and Sora was like you can't feel sorrow and Xemnas agreed. So if that's the case what did they care in the first place about belonging or restoring Kingdom Hearts etc. Also just like you said, Axel and Roxas' friendship made no sense because friendship shouldn't exist between beings with no hearts or emotions or cares. Although it was explained in the Ansem Reports why Namine and Roxas were special cases I believe that maybe some other organization members might've been special cases too like Axel and even Demyx or else it wouldn't make sense. Why would Demyx get angry at Sora when he said they didn't have hearts and Demyx was like we do too have hearts… that was never clarified why he said that. Anyway so yeah, I know exactly what you mean but I guess Axel may be special just like Roxas and Namine was.**

**As for ManaG and many other readers who suspect a sad tragic ending, don't worry, I'm undecided on an ending and I have thought of using alternate endings. You won't be disappointed at the end.**

**Since the different scenes were so successful in the last chap, I'm going to do it more often since it enables me to expand on the story and show scenes happening at once.**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 8**

White bulbs speckled and glistened across the dark sky. Cool breezes whispered over the roofs of Nibelheim. It was deserted at this time except for the few flocks of birds whose shadows danced across the gray stones on the floor. Everyone was asleep, oblivious to the small presence sitting on top of the well in the center of town.

The fourteen year old leaned back against the rough wooden wall of the well, counting the stars to keep herself occupied. Her thin legs swung beneath her as she waited. Finally after some time she heard a familiar set of footsteps approaching her and climbing up the well. She didn't need to turn to know who it was. After all it was she who had invited him out in this time of night.

After a moment of silence, the blond boy began to speak, whether her attention was tuned into him or not, although it was. Her fingers clenched the wooden ledge she was sitting on, absorbing the words he was sharing with her. He was going to join SOLDIER. He wanted to become stronger and strive to be like his hero, Sephiroth. After all the time he had spent watching her, protecting her, now he was leaving. Her lips parted to say something but she could not. She could not say goodbye.

She sighed to herself, continuing to swing her legs. Their shy gazes avoided each other's as he awaited a response from his childhood friend. Finally she had decided, what was best to say to him.

Her finger curled around a stray lock of brown hair, placing it behind her ear. She took a deep breath, trying to work up the courage to say what was on her mind.

"Hey, why don't we make a promise? Umm, if you get really famous and I'm ever in a bind... You come save me, all right?" Her fingers fumbled in front of her nervously.

"What?" Cloud looked up at the young brunette sitting on the well with him, a baffled expression on his face. He hadn't expected such a request. Especially after he had let her fall off the bridge when they were eight and she was in a coma for a week. He didn't feel like he had the strength to protect her. He wasn't enough. That was why he was leaving. He needed to become stronger, for himself and for her.

Tifa smiled, "Whenever I'm in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me. I want to at least experience that once," she turned her face away to hide her flushing red cheeks.

"What?" Her words were still not registering. He was still hesitant to answer after he felt he had let her down already.

"Come on! Promise me!" she pleaded, urging him to promise. She wouldn't accept that he was leaving. She needed to know that he'd come back someday. She needed something to hold onto while he was gone.

After a moment of thought, Cloud nodded, "All right... I promise." Although he felt weak, although he felt he wasn't worthy at that moment, he promised himself that he would always protect her with whatever strength he had in him. He'd always be there to keep her from harm and this time, he wouldn't fail.

Tifa's head tilted as she glanced over her shoulder to look at the boy nearby her. A satisfied smile spread across her innocent face. Cloud turned slowly to face her, meeting her gaze and her smile. He smiled weakly in return before spinning back around to stare at the ground beneath them.

His ears perked up as he listened to the creaking sounds of wood from the brunette climbing closer to him. His body was tense and his cheeks were hot but he stood still. Even when he felt the weight of her head on his shoulder and her long hair tickle his neck, he stood lifeless and mute. Tifa nuzzled her head on his shoulder, shyly hiding her face as well. Her eyelids fell as she inhaled the fresh air around them.

_Make sure you come back Cloud. It's a promise…_

She told herself to enjoy the moment, because tomorrow he'd be gone. Despite her efforts of looking through the newspapers and thinking of him constantly, it would be years before she'd see him again. It would be years before he came back to rescue her in the Mako Reactor when Sephiroth rampaged through their hometown. It was a surprise as well as a relief during such a traumatic time. Even though his mind had been meddled with, after all those years he remembered. He remembered their promise.

The heat of the flames surrounding them burned against her tear-streaked face. Her limp body was cradled within strong familiar arms as she lifted her head to look at her rescuer. Her trembling fingers lifted weakly to reach his now masculine face.

"Cloud…you came. You really came when I was in a bind," her words breathed out from her weak lips and almost smiled before her head fell back and her world went black.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally after what felt like forever, the clamor of young voices below the wood paneled floor had calmed down. It seemed that Cloud was finally able to put the children to sleep. It was difficult, especially since he hadn't spent much time with them before and now that they were all cured, you would see him walking down the halls with a child hanging on each of his limbs, begging for him to stay longer. Now that he was around more often, nothing would pry the children from latching onto him and making sure he didn't leave again without coming back quickly. She was glad for that.

_I'm not alone anymore…_

The thought made Tifa smile as she nuzzled her cheek against the soft cotton pillow beneath her head. She stared up at the pale moonlight flooding through the window panels. Her heartbeat quickened at the sound of heavy footsteps climbing up the stairs towards the bedroom. She tried to keep her body still as the door creaked open slowly.

The hallway light had clicked off and the bedroom door closed slowly as if he was trying not to wake her. Little did he know that she was wide-awake and waiting for him.

The rustling of the sheets in the bed next to hers and his heavy sighing signaled he was ready to fall asleep. It was time to make her move.

Just as the weight of his eyelids were about to carry him off to sleep, he felt a presence nearing him. His eyes shot back open to find the woman's body floating above his on his bed, her hands and legs straddling him. Her long hair draped beside their faces, making her expression unclear to him.

His brows furrowed as he whispered in a low husky voice, "Tifa, wha-"

Before he could say anymore, her finger rose to seal his lips. She timidly tilted her head at him as she always did. His blue eyes, outlined with layers of Mako, stared into hers, pondering her intentions. He had never seen her this bold when it came to the relationship between them, although the status of their relationship was never really clear.

"I'm glad that you finally feel at home. I…I've missed you," her eyes glistened with vulnerability. It was as if she was pleading for him to be close to her, to reassure her that he'd stay by her side again.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her regretfully, knowing all too well that as usual it was his actions that caused him to be away from her so long along with everyone else.

Tifa rolled her eyes, "Zuru zuru zuru zuru…" she smiled lightly, "Can't you do anything without feeling regret?"

His expression softened. It was true. Even though he had reconciled with his own sins for Aerith's death and Midgar's destruction, feeling regrets was the way he was, ever since he was a child. It was a part of him that he couldn't get rid of even when he tried.

Before he could say anything else, she rushed in and pressed her lips firmly on his. He felt her body tense and shiver from being nervous, not knowing what his reaction would be. He lifted his hand to cup her shoulder and push her back gently.

As he opened his mouth to say something she rushed in and cut him off, "I'm sorry, it's just that…I'm tired of having regrets myself"

Her bangs hung over her eyes, concealing her emotion until he swept them aside with his fingers. She lifted her head to look at his solemn expression. Once again without letting him react she leaned in to kiss him again, this time he did not stop her. He held her hair away from their faces, deepening into a kiss that they had never shared before. They were always distant or shy even though they both had an idea what the other felt, it was never fully confirmed. Now she was pouring herself to him and hoping that after all the distance between them that he'd accept. He owed her that, he owed himself that. He owed them a chance at happiness.

Slowly their bodes shifted until Tifa felt her back on his mattress and now he was hovering over her. Slowly he broke away to share an intense glance with her as she unzipped her leather top slowly. His eyes widened a bit but he knew by her expression that she was sure of herself and nothing would stop her except for him.

"No regrets" Tifa whispered into the darkness. As the vague buzzing of the opening zipper came to an end, he brought his face to hers and whispered onto her lips.

He was finally trusting himself and trusting himself with her. It was time he let her in.

"No regrets…"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"No regrets…" Cloud whispered to himself, knowing that she was on the bed, still unconscious. She couldn't hear him, therefore she wouldn't get angry at him for once again, dwelling in his regrets.

He stood up and opened the shutters so the moonlight could guide his eyes. He steadily made his way to her bedside, to observe her sleeping curves. Her chest rose and fell slowly as small breaths escaped her lips. His fingers lightly touched the bandages wrapped around her head. It was only a slight concussion and he knew she'd eventually wake up from it but either way, he still felt at fault. He should've went after her right away. Had he known Sephiroth was going to show up, he would've never let her run out of the Inn earlier.

Thankfully Tifa didn't sustain any more serious injuries since Leon got back up infuriated and attacked Sephiroth beside Cloud, causing Sephiroth to retreat for the time being. If it wasn't for that, who knows what could've taken place. Thanks to Leon's help, Cloud was able to tend to Tifa's bleeding head and carry her back to the Inn.

He sighed to himself before his hand left her head and he sat back in the chair by the window. He ran his fingers through his blond hair, his brows furrowing with determination, "I promised I'd always protect you and I will. From now on I will make sure of that. I will even protect you from that Nobody, wherever he may be. I will not let you fall into harm's way again…"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A tall slim figure, cloaked in black, sat on the rooftop adjacent to the Inn. His hand clawed the material on his chest where his heart would've been if he had one. Her darkness was gone. He was at least thankful for that.

After fleeing through Radiant Garden just to see Tifa get tossed aside so violently, he felt the adrenaline in his body enrage. He only had time to call out to her before unwillingly disappearing into the realm of darkness to escape Cloud's eyes and Saix's suspicion. Once inside the realm he unleashed a powerful attack towards Saix, trying to escape his grasp so that he could tend to Tifa as fast as possible.

Saix only laughed at Axel's efforts and just as he was about to lose hope of ever getting him off his back, Luxord appeared behind Saix, alerting him of Xemnas' latest orders. It seemed that Sora was slowly finding his way to Kairi's whereabouts and was in Twilight Town, gathering clues about an alternate Twilight Town. Of course this was not pleasing news to Saix and the others. Sora finding a way to the World That Never Was would only bring him closer to their demise.

Axel was out of breath and exhausted from the running and the last powerful attack he had unleashed. Saix grinned, leaving him with unpleasant words of advice, "You won't last long Axel. Soon you'll fade away"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Axel demanded and it only seemed to make Luxord smile as well.

"I've seen the woman you have grown rather attached to. However you have latched yourself to a pointless existence. If you put your existence in her and she turns you away, you will fade. Without a purpose to strive and exist, we have no reason to exist. Therefore we won't exist at all"

"What are you saying?" Axel clung onto his chakrams, now brought to a lazy simmer.

"I'm saying that there's no need to destroy you now. You will destroy yourself. We exist because of the revival of Kingdom Hearts and Xemnas' will. We will not fade until that goal is fulfilled or the keyblade wielder destroys us. You on the other hand, seem to have fully put your existence into one of these foolish beings. If she does not believe you to exist, you will believe you don't exist and of course, vanish"

His lips curled into a sadistic laugh as both him and Luxord began to retreat through another realm exit. Axel spat at them, "You're full of it!"

"Shut up and enjoy the remainder of your sorry life. Consider it luck that you have escaped this round," Luxord dawned his last mocking words upon him before they completely disappeared, leaving Axel breathing heavily.

Now here he was, fully rested and now haunted by Saix's words. His pupils seemed to go ablaze at the sight of Cloud in Tifa's room over her bedside. Although this made him uncomfortable he could not object since he was caring for her after all and Tifa needed her rest. Even though he hated to admit it, he should at least be thankful that Cloud was there before Sephiroth could cause any more damage. It was Cloud who probably tended to her injuries and it was Cloud that her eyes would wake up to.

He cringed at the thought but he was helpless. Considering the circumstances, he could not take any rash actions right now.

His fist clenched and his teethe grinded against each other as he spoke aloud, "You'll see Saix, I will not fade! She believes in me and I know…I will not fade!"

**-----------------------------------------------------------**

**I liked this chapter. I think it's because I liked going back into the flashbacks and their thoughts as to what happened. Lots of conflicting thoughts here huh? Also the term "zuru zuru zuru zuru" is what Tifa says in Advent Children, the JP version, when Cloud seemed to go on and on in his regrets and in english they translated it to "Dilly dally shilly shally" (which I thought sounded so corny).**


	10. Chapter 9: Whisper

**I'm so glad to see all the Axel love expressed in your reviews. I'm rooting for him too. Well of course since I'm writing this Lol.**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 9**

Tifa's eyelids slowly rose from darkness, only to be greeted with gauzy shapes floating around a room that was still spinning. Her eyes squinted in attempt to clear the haze of shapes and movements surrounding her but failed. Ringing sounded in her throbbing head, causing a hiss of pain to escape her lips. She couldn't remember the last time she felt pain this excruciating.

_Oh my- I feel like crap…Where- where am I?_

She attempted to lift her hands to her head as if holding her head would ease the pain but her hands weakly stood paralyzed by her sides. She blinked, slowly letting the room come to a slow halt and the shapes adjust to her eyes. Slowly her ears picked up the sound of hollow footsteps walking across the wood paneled floor towards her. She still couldn't quite make out her surroundings but somehow she knew who it was walking towards her, she could sense his presence even through her disorientation.

As if reading the pleading words in her mind, Cloud's hand gently slid underneath her head to lift her up with the utmost gentle care. Her arms clung to his shoulders on instinct as he slowly sat her up. He sat on the bedside as her head lolled heavily onto his shoulder.

A painful groan was muffled into the material on his shoulder and he kept his arms firmly around her to help keep her up. One hand on her neck and the other holding the edge of her elbow.

"C-Cloud?" She had no idea why she bothered to ask if she already knew but the question came naturally. Her voice was raspy and her mouth was dry.

Cloud stood silent as the hand on her neck slid to her waist, allowing his other hand to reach for a glass of water sitting on the mahogany nightstand by the bed. He clicked off the small lamp knowing the light would only add to her pain now that she was awake before picking up the glass. He held the glass to rest on his knee before leaning close to the back of her head from his shoulder. Whispering into her hair and trying not to sound too loud he spoke, "Can you lift your head?"

She made a feeble attempt, lifting her head barely an inch before collapsing back onto him. It was embarrassing for her. She had more pride than this but with the throbbing in her head, pride was the last thing on her mind. She couldn't even remember what happened last and how she had come to this. Silent curses encircled her thoughts for being in this situation.

Cloud leaned over to put the glass back on the nightstand. He returned to her, bringing his hands to her forearms to lift her off from him. He held her with one arm as his other propped up the pillows against the headboard of the bed. Slowly he eased her onto the pillow so that she could sit up without his aid. Once again he brought the glass to her and this time she stared at him, blankly and blinking.

Her eyes finally adjusted although the pain was still there, causing her to squint at him. He held the glass up, waiting for her to reach for it. "Here, this'll make you feel better"

Her hands cupped around the glass of water, sending slight electricity shooting through her body from touching his hand. _When was the last time we had contact like this?_ Cloud's fingers slid away from the glass once he felt that she had a firm grip on it.

She brought the glass to her lips and allowed the lukewarm liquid to ease the dryness in her mouth. It was relieving.

Without lifting her eyes from the water rippling in the glass, she whispered, "Thank you"

Cloud simply nodded and without offering another word he stood up and walked towards the door. He seemed to sense that she was about to call out to him and stopped once his hand grasped the doorknob. "I'll be back. You must be hungry" and with that he left the room.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Axel's body rose like a reviving corpse from the cold stone floor. His arms huddled his knees as he took in the familiar presence returning inside of him. She was awake. He felt it.

He didn't know what brought him to the Bailey that night, even after knowing she was still unconscious and wouldn't be meeting him there but there was no where else to go. The dangers of Saix had gone for now since he was occupied with Sora's meddling. The only companion he ever had was Roxas and now he was gone. With Tifa being unconscious, his choices were short when it came to occupying himself. He swore that he'd go insane if he had to take another trip through the worlds just to pass time. It was best that he stay in one spot and just wait, wait for whatever.

His mind had been troubled with Saix's last words to him. Now with all the time and all the damn silence, untamed questions devoured him. He even counted the heartless lurking below him and he got bored of that. Nothing could take his mind off of what that jerk said.

His hand veiled in black lifted up in front of him. He open and closed his fingers, tilting his head as he observed and pondered. Finally he released a frustrated sigh and dropped refolded his arm around his knees.

_If she does not believe you to exist, you will believe you don't exist and of course, vanish…_

Saix's haunting voice echoed through his head and he tried to shake it away. Instead his own voice came to haunt him as well, his doubts.

_Does she…does she believe I exist? Does my existence really rest solely on her._

He scoffed at his current situation. He knew the answer. Of course it made sense. He had already memorized her warmth, memorized her smile and even her taste. He memorized her small little habits like the way she tilted her head innocently and how her eyes grew larger when she was marveled by something. He didn't want to admit it to himself but he knew, he let his existence rest on her. There was nothing else that would keep him going.

_It's my own fault for it being that way but I can't really say I regret it. _

He shook his head. If he had a heart this would be where he pitied himself. Then again after meeting Roxas and now Tifa, he had found himself expressing and reacting to things in ways he shouldn't be. That was what drew him to them and now he didn't know what to expect anymore.

If Saix was right, he only existed this long because of his search for Roxas and after his betrayal to the Organization, he only existed to try and help Sora. Thankfully he had noticed Tifa already before Kairi was taken because if Saix was right, once he failed at aiding Sora he would have faded away.

_Was my interest in Tifa what kept me breathing, walking, living? _

He shuddered at the thought of fading. He didn't want to fade but then again, it was true. If Tifa refused him, he couldn't think of any other reason to exist. He probably would give in willingly. The only way he would survive that was if he could find another purpose. However at this moment, another purpose was beyond his thinking and he wasn't so sure if he even wanted to find another purpose.

"Tifa…I hope you believe in me"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The fact that the potatoes were starchy, there was no butter with the bread and the meat was dry had no effect on the starving woman almost shoving her fingers into the plate on her lap. She wasted no time bringing the food to her lips to take bites almost too large to be humane. Even as she felt Cloud's glare of shock because of her sudden burst of energy, being timid as she always was with him was the least of her concern. She hadn't eaten in what felt like weeks although it had only been days. She'd do anything to fill the hollow pit calling from the depths of her stomach.

The throbbing in her head had calmed although her vision was still slightly hazy. She closed her eyes as she ate just to make things easier, only opening them when she reached for another bite or her water. The clamor and shrieking sounds of the metal utensils scratching against the plate didn't seem to bother her although she thought she heard Cloud wince every now and then when the sound was too sharp for his ears. Still as usual, he'd say nothing and stay solemn.

Finally after what seemed like seconds to her, but an eternity of painful cringing metal to Cloud, she placed the utensils neatly on the surface of the empty plate before setting it on the nightstand beside her. She looked around, with one squinting eye open, in search of something until Cloud offered her a handkerchief and she grabbed it gratefully. She wrung it around her fingers and tapped her lips lightly before sighing and sinking back into the pillows behind her. Now that her stomach was full and her thirst was quenched, all she wanted to do was sleep. Of course it wouldn't be so easy.

Memory had flooded back to her while Cloud had gone downstairs and she hoped that once he gave her the food that he'd leave her without a word. Instead he sat there and he watched her, as if the atmosphere between them wasn't awkward enough. Even though she kept her eyes closed and focused on eating, his presence made her tense. The confessions she had yelled out to him replayed in her mind. She was instantly regretting every word as she felt his glare on her each passing second. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about what happened, anything but that.

To her surprise, the first words barely audible to pass from his lips, was an apology. It actually made her eyes shoot open until the light harshly sent another shot of pain to bounce through her temples and she shut them closed again. She groaned and she reached up to hold the bridge of her nose.

"Wh-what?"

"I said, I'm sorry…for the grief I have caused you. I should've realized"

She was speechless. Her mind was blank. Although she had only confessed in her dreams and imagined his reactions, now that it really happened, nothing was turning out the way her mind had made it up. There was one thing that came into the picture that wasn't there before and that one thing made everything so much more complex. It was Axel.

Seeing that Tifa had no response and did not intend to, Cloud continued, bringing his eyes to stare out the window as she had done so many times before. "I've always sworn to protect you and yet somehow I always seemed to fail"

"Cloud-" she thought aloud unintentionally.

"Of course I've never meant to do you harm but instead it was I that harmed you the most and for that I apologize"

"Cloud-" this time she let it leave her as a pleading whisper but still he went on. Her eyes were still closed and her fingers massaged circles at her temples.

"I don't want to be the darkness that contaminates your light…"

"Cloud," this time her voice sounded more urging and was clearly audible. Once the awkward silence began to set in the room, she slowly slid into the covers, turning her back to him. "I just…want to be alone right now" Just as she expected, he didn't respond. Instead she heard him pause for a moment, absorbing her request before getting up to shut the lamp by her bed and lift the plate from the nightstand. What happened next was something she didn't expect.

The bed shifted toward the weight of his knee as he leaned in towards the woman whose back was facing him. With the plate still in one hand, his other hand brushed aside the soft strands of hair on her cheek and soon enough she felt his warmth breath nearing her ear. The tickle of his voice on her skin made her body shiver but she tried to hide it.

"I want you to know, that from now on I won't repeat my past mistakes"

She stood stiff as she listened to him get up and walk towards the door. The door creaked open and he glanced back briefly to look upon her curves covered in the blue sheets. Finally after his last thoughts he retreated, leaving her to herself as she had wanted.

Once she was sure that he had left, she finally allowed her body to tremble. Her lips quivered slightly as she nuzzled her cheek into the pillow. She gasped in the darkness, containing her emotions. She didn't know why she was acting this way. She was just so confused. Since she was not fully recovered from her injury and now her stomach was satisfied, it was fairly easy for her body to grow weak again and her eyelids to grow heavy. She willingly gave into her sleep in hopes to escape her trivial situation just a while longer. Her eyes shut with only a single tear soaking into the pillowcase beneath her cheek.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Golden rays of broken sunlight streamed in through the blinds. The birds had begun their morning songs and voices of the Inn occupants were heard shuffling beneath her. Once again her eyes opened to a new time of day that she couldn't' be sure of. The bump on the back of her head ached but other than that, she could see clearly and all her other pain had gone. It was actually relieving to see the sunlight in her room.

Lying on her side with her cheek resting on her knuckles, her eyes surveyed the room. It didn't seem that Cloud returned once she woke up and asked for him to leave. She was grateful not to wake up to him, although a part of her found comfort in his presence, another part of her wanted to keep her distance.

_You leave Cloud alone! Even when the darkness tempts me, I will always protect him! I will always be his light!_

Those particular words echoed in her the most. She had unintentionally blurted out that she would never leave his side. It was something she had not fully come to terms with and yet when she blurted it out, it was nothing but truth.

She crumbled the sheets in her fists, suddenly craving body warmth. A cold breeze had swept over her, causing her to shift her body toward the wall. Barely moving an inch, she froze at the sudden realization that one side of her bed was warm. Somehow she knew it wasn't her own warmth but someone else's that was once beside her not too long ago. The surface of the spot behind her, she was sure it was empty but she could still feel as if someone was there. Goosebumps prickled her skin as she hesitated to turn around.

She clenched her eyes shut and finally spun around, even though she knew there was no one there, it was the warmth that she was afraid of. She faced the wall, bringing her fingers to feel along the vacant spot that was now losing its warmth. A soft dent centered the middle of the pillow beside her as her fingers went to that as well.

_Who…who was lying here? Cloud? Axel? Someone else?_

She rose from the bed, once again surveying the room in case she missed something. She had to have missed something. Something blue finally caught her eye on the nightstand. She turned to see a plate of oozing blue liquid, a wooden stick floating in it. She cautiously brought her finger to dip into the liquid and back to her mouth. Her suspicions were confirmed. Sea Salt ice cream.

Her hand went back to trace over the vacant shapes of the now cold surface beside her. How long had he been there? Why did he come? Why didn't he wait for her to wake up? Was it his voice she heard calling out to her before she went unconscious back at the Market Place?

So many questions began to flood her mind as if she didn't have enough. Still, it startled her. The way he was there and the way he was gone…almost as if he was never there and it was all a figment of her imagination. Almost as if, he was just a dream and his presence never really existed. Like a whisper, his presence had vanished into the silence of her room and whether he was really there or not, she would never know. Just like a Nobody, an existence that would be there one moment and fade the next…

**---------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Hmm so that's a great way to leave off the chapter right::dodges sticks and stones: I know I know you wanna see some Axel already. Don't worry, he's coming and it'll be very umm…hot. :cheesy smile: Just like he is, hot. Also is anyone interested in the story's rating changing to M in order to include an intimate scene or is it fine the way it is? I don't mind either way but I wanna know the reader's opinions. **


	11. Chapter 10: As Real as it Gets

**Listen guys, if you see a mistake, any little error or can offer some constructive criticism, please, please tell me. No matter how long the review becomes, I will read it and trust me, it will only make my writing better. I had a reviewer earlier comment on me using he and she so often and it's because of that that in the later chapters of this story, my writing improved and I looked for other ways to say things beside "she did this" and "he did that". In one of my earlier stories a reviewer commented on my chunky paragraphs making things hard to read and because of that I try to separate it more and it looks better. It bugs me when someone says I made mistakes cause then I'm like where? What? I end up wanting to know and I never find out. Therefore I may be repeating the same mistake and not even know it. **

**Also there was sooo much pressure with the rated M scene OMG it made me so nervous. I really didn't wanna disappoint you guys and mess up the success of this story. Therefore I wrote this chapter just to give you guys a taste and if you like how it's going then I can include an M chapter in the next one. If not, this chap still leaves it so I can just continue with story next chapter. You decide.**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 10**

Emerald eyes looked up into the murky skies, staining the night with gray. A small cold drop of water fell onto his gloved fingers and rolled down his palm. Rain. He closed his fist and closed his eyes, letting the icy breezes sway through the black material that his body was always veiled in. Soon enough he felt and heard the pitter-patter of cold raindrops, rolling down his face and onto the gray slabs beneath him.

He inhaled, taking in the damp air through his nostrils. _How long will it be until I cannot feel raindrops anymore? How long will it be until I can no longer look into the skies for its change of colors? How long will it be until I will stop breathing? _The rain seemed to douse the pyro into a depressing state, although that was out of the ordinary for a Nobody. He found himself memorizing his surroundings, memorizing every taste, memorizing every smell and touch, carefully and flawlessly. He didn't know if someday it would be a luxury he'd no longer have.

His options weren't many and even his options he could not be sure of. Whether he'd pass onto the next minute he couldn't be too sure of either. Nothing was taken for granted anymore.

He ran his fingers through his wet strands of fiery hair, weighing down to rest on the sides of his face. Slicking them back into messy spikes he looked upon his hands. He took off his leather gloves, letting them fall to the floor as he let his palms feel the rain.

The black figure stood standing on the Bailey ledge. It's been days. The rain was his only companion now and even the rain was no friend to the Flurry of Dancing Flames.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally after what felt like an eternity, Tifa was able to drag her body from the comfort of her bed sheets to the bathroom. She reached for the lazy wire hanging from the ceiling to turn on the light, exposing a green and white tiled bathroom. Unwrapping the blood stained bandages from her tousled Sepia locks, she placed the bandages on ledge of the sink. Her finger pulled at the dark bags sagging beneath her eyes.

_I look horrible. I need a shower. Stress is not my friend…_

She leaned over into the single shower and twisted the steel knob. Warm water shot from the showerhead onto her forearm and she sighed at its comfort. She couldn't remember the last time she was able to enjoy a shower.

Slipping off her clothes and then her socks, the cold air sent a shiver up her spine. She huddled her arms as she stepped into the steamy shower. She turned her face up into the water just to enjoy the feeling and ease any remaining pain in her head. She was hoping the shower would ease her mind as well but it wasn't working. Instead it was making her think about the troublesome things in her life even more.

Her skin tightened at the thought of his warmth beside her the night before and she hadn't noticed. He must've purposely left behind the ice cream bar so she would know he was there. Why didn't he stay? Why did he come in the first place and lie in her bed? Was he worried? He couldn't be. Nobodies can't worry. It's an emotion and emotions were things that these beings lacked, or at least that's what she would've liked to believe or was told to believe.

Axel was different. Although he admitted being void of heart, he smiled like she did, laughed like she did, seemed to enjoy being with her, like she did. How could something like that be explained if the person doesn't have a heart or doesn't exist?

Her fingers traced over her lips unintentionally. She remembered what his warmth felt like being wrapped around her body when he held her. She remembered his taste on her lips. She remembered listening to his steady breathing as she leaned on his chest. She didn't hear a heartbeat but somehow he breathed just like she did. Nobodies were beings too difficult to fully understand. She was sure even Ansem the Wise discovered mysteries of the heart that could not be solved.

Still although he felt and acted like a being with a heart, she knew he didn't have one. As much as she hated to admit it, Nobodies had no hearts so what could she expect from him? He couldn't give her a heart he didn't have. Could she have fallen into the Nobody's scheme to gain her trust so in the end she'd lose her heart?

She shook her head at the possibility. She didn't want to believe it but then again she did have a history of being gullible with certain things, especially when it came to men. Trust was something she was beginning to lack in herself. Cloud was her perfect example. Even though things have been distant and awkward between them, still she could not turn him away. She could not deny the part of her that enjoyed his presence there when she woke up and his small touches on her as he cared for her. It was these small and subtle things that made her love him all these years. Even if he was always keeping to himself and hiding within his own darkness, he still cared for her in his own ways. He still protected her with his life. Would it be selfish to ask for more?

She rubbed the sides of her arms, letting herself stand in the running water. Leaning her head on the tiled wall, her ears picked up a calming sound tapping on the window. Her eyes looked and she sighed. Rain. It fit her perfectly at that moment.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey Roxas, if you were given a heart, what do you think you'd do with it?" Axel raised his brows in curiosity at the young boy sitting beside him. Legs crossed and resting on their palms they stared into the darkness on top of a skyscraper. There wasn't much sky to look at in the World that Never Was but it was nice to imagine.

Roxas put his hand to his chin, thoughtfully pondering his answer before he spoke, "Hmm…I dunno actually. I think I'd just try and experience as many emotions as possible. I'd laugh, get angry and even cry, just to see what it's like"

Axel nodded, "Yeah, I'd probably do the same"

The dirty blond's eyes widened as if something had struck him. He turned back to Axel, "Hey you know what I've always wondered?"

Axel responded with a questioning hmm and Roxas continued, "I've always wondered…what it was like to feel love. You know, love between friends, love between family and love between couples. I've watched them in the worlds and it looks…nice"

Axel was surprised upon this discovery but agreed, "Yeah, it does look nice"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A smile spread across Axel's face as he reminisced in one of his few fondest memories. He never knew how much that conversation would impact him so deeply in the situation he was in now. He wondered what Roxas would've thought if he were there. He sighed.

Roxas had finally found a heart even though it was within Sora. Now he was able to smile, get angry and even shed tears. He was sure that now he knew what it was like…love.

_Lucky him_, Axel thought almost regretfully. After a moment of coming to his final decision, he clenched his fists in determination. Roxas had found out what it was like to love and be loved in return. Now he was gone and it was his turn to experience the same. He was tired of waiting and tired of wondering. He needed to know already. Was this new part of him worth hanging onto his existence for or was it better off to fade away?

Time was not something that could be spared so easily so finally he decided, the time was now to find out what he needed to know. He could not afford to waste anymore of whatever was left of his life and precious time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cold wooden floors beneath her bare feet sent goose bumps to rise along her skin. Wrapped in a towel she grabbed a large black T-shirt laying on the bed and slipped it over her head, dropping the towel to her feet. She brought the black lace up along her slender legs before pulling up a pair of shorts on top. Her damp dark hair was pulled up in a messy tie, strands falling beside the curves of her face. Even though the shower didn't relieve her troubles, it at least relieved her body. She was at least thankful for that.

A cold breeze gusted from the crack of the window and she gasped. Huddling her arms for warmth she ran towards the window to close it. She shut the window and stood there for a moment. It was then that she froze. A familiar presence entered the room, a presence she had not invited and had not felt for days. Her grip released the window and she stood up, not turning to face him.

Axel did not like the look of this already. He knew she acknowledged his presence but for some reason refused to face him. Was she denying him already or was she just denying herself? Still he didn't want to assume. He needed to know and he didn't come to play a guessing game or give each other the cold shoulder. He had come for a reason and he wasn't leaving until everything was clear to him.

Her darkness throbbed inside of him, the darkness of her internal confusion. "What's wrong Tifa?" He kept his voice solemn, something he didn't do often around her. This wasn't a time to joke.

She crossed her arms in front of her and leaned against the window. There was a long silence. Only their breathing was heard and it seemed to grow louder as the silence dragged on. Finally she broke the silence with a whisper, "I just…I need time to think"

Axel furrowed his brows at her. As if she sensed that he was going to question her answer, she responded, "What do you feel if you cannot feel at all?"

Axel stepped back, slightly caught off guard with her question. He struggled to find the words to answer. It was as if his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. Somehow he managed to stammer, "W-what?"

Still she kept her eyes and body turned away from him, "If you cannot feel, then what is it that you have for me? Where can this go?"

He stepped closer, slowly approaching her. "Tifa, I-" Now he was the mouse caught in the trap and had no idea what to say. After all he had planned to say to her and all the thinking he had done, nothing prepared him for the things she was asking of him.

"Have you been deceiving me? Have you been using me to gain my trust and then break it? So the Organization can use my Nobody?" Her voice was accusing and stern. It rubbed off on him.

"What? Tifa I told you, I'm not with those guys anymore. How could you say that?" His voice was getting louder even though he tried to keep calm. Still he couldn't help but wonder where she got these absurd ideas from, after all that they had experienced with one another. What made her doubt it now?

"Because this…this can't be real. If you don't really exist, this can't be real" her voice cracked and her fingers clawed her arms. He reached out to touch her shoulder and she harshly pulled away, attempting to rush past him. Now losing patience he grabbed her wrist.

"Tifa," he pleaded for her to listen and tried to keep his voice sincere but she continued to resist.

She shook her head slowly, tugging and trying to pull away from him, "No, this can't be real. I won't let myself get hurt again"

"Tifa, listen to me," he continued to try and pull her towards him so that he could face her but she just wouldn't give in. She wouldn't listen. He felt the darkness in her heart coming to a peak. He could hear her quivering voice trying to hide her tears and emotions.

"I cant-" she pulled harder to escape him, still shaking her head in denial.

"Tifa I won't- let me-" finally his patience was gone. Time was running out if it went at this pace. His hand yanked her to him, forcing her to fall onto his chest, losing her balance. She pushed against his chest and still holding her wrist, Axel used his teeth to pull off the leather glove from his other hand. His free hand rose to cup her cheek and lift up her tear-streaked face to meet his eyes. He kept his intense gaze on her, their faces barely inches apart.

"When I touch you, what does it feel like?" Tifa looked up, eyes glistening but he finally caught her attention. He released her wrist to guide her hand to his own face. Now holding each other's faces he whispered to her, "What do I feel like Tifa?"

She felt his breath on her face as she spoke. A stray tear rolled down her cheek as she closed her eyes, taking in the warmth of her hand on him and his hand on her. She stood silent. Axel used his gloved hand to curl around her delicate fingers on his cheek, still looking at her.

"I don't know why or how but even though I'm a Nobody, I feel warm as if there should be blood in my veins. I breathe as if I have lungs. I'm just as real as you except I have no heart. I can't give you my heart but if you accept me, I'll give you all that my existence has to offer. I won't let you get hurt again"

He massaged her fingers in his and she granted him a feeble smile. He smiled back at her. "I'm guess…I lack trust in myself and it scares me" Tifa whispered between them, now their foreheads resting on one another's. Once again her darkness faded and thankfully, he did not.

He nodded in understanding, "If you can't trust yourself, trust in me. Let me show you how real I can be…how real we can be"

Her fingers rose to wipe some stray raindrops trickling from his hair onto his face. Without explanation, her fingertips began to trace over the skin of his cheeks, the bridge of his nose, his closed eyelids and then the curve of his jaw. His eyes closed, letting her touch his face, feeling him, making sure he was real to her and relieving her doubts. She didn't understand why but her body wanted to touch him, desired to be just as close as the night before but this time she'd be awake.

"You- you came to me last night" her fingers continued to lightly trace over his masculine features. His hands rested on the small of her back.

"I- I wanted to be close to you…in case it was the last time" he confessed to her in a whisper barely audible to her ears. His eyes were still closed while she held his face.

She pulled his face down to hers and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. His grip on her tightened until she pulled away, "It won't be the last time…"

With eyes now open, he brushed her damp bangs from her eyes. He lifted her chin once again to meet his lips. He was damp from the rain and she was damp from the shower. He let her clean fresh scent submerge him as he kissed her. It enticed his senses, the feel of her soft skin and the scent of her sweet intoxicating strands of hair. He deepened the kiss, still feeling water tickling down his body as well as hers. They stood entranced in their moment for a while until Axel broke away, leaving his hand to hold her chin, "Tifa…my existence is yours"

She tilted her head at him, this time not in innocence but with an expression he'd never seen in her before. "And my heart is yours" To his surprise she lifted herself to his jaw line. Her moist lips still damp from their kisses, wisped over his skin. Fingers holding his head to her lips, her hot breath tickled along the curve of his jaw. Slowly she savored the taste of when her lips met his skin.

If this wasn't real then she didn't know what was. If this was a dream then she never wanted to wake up. If she could only have him for one night, she'd make sure to memorize his body's heat on hers before it ended. It made her thirst for more. He didn't object and kept her in his embrace, letting her have her way with him. His existence was hers now and she had willingly given her heart to him. She had finally accepted that she had fallen for a Nobody.

A breathy sigh escaped his parted lips as the new feelings emerging within his body began to brew into something else. His palms slid to her hips and held her against him as she lowered herself to the side of his neck. Lightly nipping his tender skin with her teeth, his sighs became ragged breaths. It made his body shudder and he clutched her tighter, trying not to show it.

He never knew a woman could make a man feel this good. He never knew a woman had the power to make a man feel this weak. She was addictive and once again she was bringing things out in him that he never knew existed.

She smiled at his reactions, finding pleasure in introducing him to these new levels of bliss. She already had in mind what she was going to do next. Her lips grazed up to his earlobe. His knees weakened at the touch of her lips and tongue there, swirling circles and outlines around that area. He couldn't explain what was happening but he didn't care. His mind was already a disarray of thoughts and desires. It was too much.

Once again he let his instincts lead him as they had done so well before. Just as he felt a new tingling sensation spread through his body as if it were flowing through his veins, he pulled away to dive his mouth into hers, hungrily nibbling her full lush lips in his. Fingers lost in her damp messy locks and rushing up and down her spine, she almost lost balance at the weakness in her body.

He held her to him, supporting her weight on him as he entangled his tongue with hers. She tasted so sweet. It was almost like the Sea Salt Ice cream she had given him. You just had an ongoing thirst for it and it made your mouth water at its taste. He couldn't get enough of her no matter how close she was to him or how long he stood braced in their mouths. Lingering on his bottom lip, she pulled away.

Time had stopped as her fingers guided up onto his chest and into his collar. Her hands crept into the neckline of his robe and he felt his skin tighten with goose bumps. She wanted more contact with his skin, wanted to make sure that under that black robe of his, he was as real as she thought. She needed to know.

As much as he wanted to pull her into his arms again, he resisted and cooperated with her actions. Slowly she began to tug on the zipper to his black robe. She met his solemn gaze, concentrating on one another's expressions. Once the zipper slid down and was open, she brought her hands to rise up his chest to his shoulders, cautiously slipping the robe down his shoulders. The material fell to the floor into a black heap of material, revealing his slim but firm body, dressed in a black shirt with fishnet short sleeves and matching slacks. She grabbed the hand that was still gloved and pulled the glove off his hand, dropping that to the floor as well.

His eyes watched her every subtle movement. The way she gracefully moved to touch him, to kiss him, to remove the things he was wearing. Her teeth bit at her bottom lip timidly as her palms glided down the firm waves of his abdomen felt through his shirt. Nails dragged to the hem of his shirt, slipping under just enough to feel the skin on his waist.

His gaze never left her, drinking at the sight of her. With her hands slithering beneath the thin material clothing his chest, all will and all sense that he had was broken instantly. His hands guided her hands to the back of his waist as he reached for her head, bringing his lips to her neck as she had done to him. Bending her head slightly as he fed on her creamy skin, whimpers and sighs emitted from her lips. He smiled on her skin before he continued more feverishly, destroying her control as she had also done to him.

Her hands pulled at the back of his shirt, pleading to feel more of his bare skin against her. In a quick moment, he pulled his top up over his head unveiling toned muscles and unmarred skin, all just for her. Her dark eyes widened at the sight of him but before her stare could last any longer, he pulled her back into his embrace so he can return to her neck and ears. Nails clawed at his shoulder blades as she clutched onto him and in time, his name passed through her lips lustfully.

This only encouraged Axel more as he brought his hands to slither under her shirt to feel the ridges of her spine. Her back arched causing her body to press against his and taking unhurried steps, she led their bodies towards her bed. She had never felt this way before as she was astonished by the emotions running through her freely.

The throbbing in her head was long gone and now she was lost indulging in this pleasurable experience with this super natural being. How could a man that she didn't even know less than two months ago know her more than the man who knew her all her life? How could a man without a heart show so much emotion to her and consider every part of her so precious? Perhaps it took a being without a heart to understand the value of a woman and how breathtaking she can be. One thing was for sure, he took her breath away.

She broke away briefly to relieve herself of her top, revealing to him the ripe and intimate flesh hidden beneath. She paused, waiting for a reaction from a being she was sure had never been exposed to the woman's body before. Surprisingly a smile tugged across his face as he observed her. As one hand held her waist, he fell back, holding her so that she wouldn't fall too hard against the mattress. She gasped in surprise and once his body hovered over hers, time had slowed down once more. His fingertips drew across her collarbone and dusted across her shoulders. His emerald eyes hypnotized her as he let his fingers begin to explore her bare smooth skin. Her gaze never left his as he did so and as her body began to jump at his touches, he leaned in to kiss her.

He kissed her deeply, straddling her with his body over hers, their hot skin damp from slowly emerging sweat. A moan muffled between their interlocking lips and Tifa's fingers gently pulled his head from her. He broke their kiss to share another fervent gaze with her as if he were trying to see her very soul. Crimson strands hung over his face and she smiled as she brushed them back. He smiled back at her lovingly.

"Axel…" her knuckles brushed against the side of his cheek and he leaned into her hand. He raised his brows at her, awaiting what she'd say next.

"You're the light I was always looking for," her eyes burned and tears brimmed at their edges, threatening to spill over. Words could not describe the pure ecstasy she was experiencing with him and even though so many things didn't make sense, it didn't matter.

She was glad to see his sly smile on his face. She loved it when he smiled that way. With the tattoos under his eyes he looked like a joker when he smiled. A real smart aleck but that's what she couldn't resist about him.

His thumb wiped the tears brimming in her eyes before letting his hand gradually trace down an imaginary line from the middle of her collarbone down to her navel. Still with that sly grin, he leaned into her, "Like I said, that's what fire's for, to help you see in the darkness"

**-------------------------------------------------------------------**

**I think this is the best I've ever done with a scene like this. My writing has made a lot of improvements in this story and I'm glad. Anyway so Axel got to say his smooth finishing line. :drools, I luv him: So what you guys think? Want more or it's enough… Also I never quite understood the NC-17 thing…explain plz. **


	12. Chapter 11: Lost

**Sorry it took me a while to update guys. It took a little brainstorming to figure out how I wanted this chap to go. I decided to keep it rated T however I just made a new Live Journal that I'm using for strictly fanfiction so feel free to check it out on my profile. I will be putting lemon chaps, extras and drabbles on there as well as news and thoughts. I haven't wrote the lemon yet and I'm still getting familiar with LJ so if anyone knows how to use it feel free to offer me a hand in learning. So for the lemon lovers, you'll get it but after I figure out how to post it on a separate page and link it on my LJ entry…Ok well in the meantime on with the story.**

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 11**

The moonlight still pooled in through the cracks of the window. Silence now settled in the room once full of whispers and calls of pleasure. Fingertips walked down the bare slender shoulders of her sleeping curves. He lay on his side, arm draped over her as she slept beside him, flat on her back. Only the sheets stood concealing the intimate flesh they had fed on so progressively throughout the night. His eyes watched her as she slept peacefully, dark strands hanging over her creamy skin angelically.

Axel smiled as he reminisced in the new experiences his body endured within the past few hours, filled with exploring fingertips, wandering lips, and arousing tastes. The way his name passed through her lips and the way her fingertips clutched onto his shoulder blades and through his fiery strands of hair so needing, it was something his mind would never forget. The heat of her body against his and the scent of their sweating skin was eternally memorized.

His fingers gently brushed aside the loose strands of hair resting on her cheek before he leaned in to press his lips against her. Her body did not stir at his touch. He couldn't blame her. She must've been exhausted and now she was deep in slumber in his arms. Nothing would get between them again. Nothing would make her doubt him again. His existence was now something that would not fade for a long time to come. He was sure of that.

However thoughts of regret and guilt were nagging him from the depths of his mind, not thoughts of her but thoughts of something else. Something he had denied and put off for too long. Although his mind tried to push this away, he knew deep down, there was another purpose he needed to fulfill, a purpose other than being with her. This made him uncomfortable, knowing it was something he'd have to face and deal with very soon. In the meantime he leaned into the sheets and held Tifa's body closer to his. For now he'd close his eyes and push it away one last time. For now he'd enjoy the time he had left, the time to be with the one he belonged to, before it came time to leave.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rain had stopped some time ago, leaving the night air damp and misty. There was a few cool breezes but nothing too bothersome for the man sitting in the deserted Market Place, always stuck in his own twilight. His blond head leaned back against the cold brick wall as he inhaled, arms crossed and brows furrowed in deep meditation.

After he had been asked to leave by Tifa, he had been doing a lot of thinking. He thought about the things she said to him in her anger. He thought of the things she must've expected from him and he utterly failed. So many years he had spent out of his life, being by her side, pulling her into his darkness without knowing. He caused her tears and buried feelings of unrequited love. He had never meant to do so but of course he had never meant to do a lot of things but they happened either way.

All he ever wanted to do was protect her, make sure Midgar was safe along with the rest of his world. All he wanted was to finally find happiness and peace, although such dreams never lasted that long. Whether he liked it or not, there was a darkness lurking within him that he'd never be rid of. It was a darkness he needed to learn to tame. Now he knew that. No room was left for any more mistakes. He wouldn't allow himself to make any more mistakes.

He shook his head at himself until he heard a familiar set of footsteps timidly approaching him. Without turning he knew by her presence who it was. He tried to form a smile on his face but like almost all things, he was failing.

She leaned in with her hands clasped behind her back innocently, light brown curls framing her smiling face, "It's a bit late to be standing around here don't you think Cloud?"

Cloud did not answer. He just simply nodded as she leaned against the wall beside him. "How's Tifa doing?"

"She should be fine now, it was only a slight concussion" he kept his eyes to the ground beneath his feet.

Aerith nodded in reply. "I'm glad…" There was a long pause as she swayed her body side to side, her arms still clasped behind her. Cloud hung his head, not showing any emotion or body movement. After a while, Aerith stopped swaying. She let her body rest on the cold wall, their shoulders brushing against one another's.

"How-how are you doing?" her voice was low, sincere. They hadn't spent much time together since he had come to this world and she was so involved with helping Leon with the city's restoration. Although everything was busy, she still didn't fail to notice the way Cloud wandered in the Market Place, waiting for something, or stood in the night's darkness, questioning his own mind.

"Hmm, could be better I guess" he tried to form another feeble smile and try not to worry her. Just like Tifa, she saw through his lies and tough exterior. Still she tilted her head and smiled back. She knew when it was better off not to question him. After all he couldn't answer questions he himself did not have the answers to.

"Aerith…" Cloud suddenly lifted his head to face her and she raised her brows in curiosity. "How did you get here? What happened to Zack?"

Aerith took a moment to think before she replied. Cloud just kept his attention on her, waiting for an answer. "Well…I don't exactly know. The last I remember, we were in the Life Stream watching over the planet and ridding the world of the geostigma. I think when the balance between the darkness, the hearts and the worlds began to waver somehow I ended up here. Zack…did not come with me and all my memories of Traverse Town and Sora returned" She lowered her head almost as if slightly disappointed.

"I see…" Cloud didn't know exactly what to say to her. He could understand her worry though. He turned away from her again to look up into the dark sky; still trying to clear away the gray clouds from covering it's light.

Suddenly she spoke again, a glimmer of confidence in her voice, "But I feel- like he's okay. I mean I don't know for sure but somehow I just know that he's fine…I think if anything he was left in the Life Stream and for some reason destiny decided my place was here right now. It seems like we're always running into each other whenever you're in a pinch huh?" She laughed frivolously as she brought her hand to cover smiling pink lips.

Cloud returned her small laugh, "Yeah, you're right". She looked up into the sky with him and after another moment of thought he spoke again, this time more seriously. "I'm sure he's fine too. Just like we knew you were there back on our world, I feel him too" Aerith nodded back in confidence, her curls bouncing gracefully on her shoulders.

"So you're just out here counting stars?" Of course she meant that sarcastically since he was out so late all alone and doing nothing.

"It seems you're doing the same," he accused her.

She laughed, "Well helping to restore the city does get boring at times and it never seems to end. Leon's a workaholic. Sometimes I just tend to drift away without him noticing" Cloud shook his head as he moved to sit on the steps. She followed to join him. The air was getting chillier and bringing bumps to rise on her bare arms. Small droplets of water rested in her light brown locks from the mist.

"Can I- ask you something?" Cloud clutched the ledge of the step he was sitting on even though it was wet. He was nervous but he was tired of being stuck. If someone would help to clear the dark clouds in his mind, it would be her. She had always done so in the past, even in his darkest hours she appeared in his mind and in spirit to share her words of wisdom and encouragement.

"Sure, go ahead" she saw his tense hands and gently placed her fingers on his hand. His body relaxed at her warmth and calming touch.

"I know…that you've forgiven me for my sins but…do you think Tifa would do the same?"

She squeezed his hand firmly; "I think she already has…Maybe it's you that has a hard time forgiving yourself. You've always been so hard on yourself" Cloud nodded in agreement, acknowledging his own flaws and she continued. "I heard the rumors, about the Nobody"

He spun his head to her in surprise, eyes wide. "H- how did you hear that?"

"Well let's just say Leon likes to be kept informed on what's going on in his city. He makes sure nothing slips by him unnoticed," he turned away in embarrassment, heat rushing to his face. He felt naked now, she knew his troubles with Tifa, the troubles he told himself he'd take to his grave if possible but she knew.

"Cloud," she whispered for his attention, raising her hand to move his face to look at her. Slowly he met her eyes, his were so full of doubt, regret, guilt and pain. Hers were always so full of light, confidence, purity and peace. "She loves you, she always will. I just think that she was always lost, waiting for you to reach out to her and you never did because you were lost yourself. Of course you didn't mean it that way but fate has a funny way of working. I think if you really care for her, you'll be glad someone finally reached out to her before she drowned on her own"

His brows bent as he pulled away from her gaze, "I can't Aerith, I admit maybe it was me that caused all this and it was my fault she was lost, but I can't feel safe knowing she's in the hands of a Nobody"

"Cloud I didn't mean-" she reached out to touch him and calm his anger but he moved back. She returned her hand back to her lap. There was an awkward silence between them.

Without waiting for further conversation, Aerith stood up from the steps, brushing the back of her pink dress. She turned to walk away but stopped a few steps behind him. With her back facing him, she turned her face enough so that the side of her jaw line was visible. "I don't sense any evil intentions in that being. I trust Tifa. Everyone needs to find their place in this life. Perhaps you're always looking in the wrong places at the wrong times… You're still lost"

Those powerful words sent a jolt of pain and realization shooting through his chest. Still Cloud did not move or respond and with those last words, Aerith left Cloud sitting in the Market Place.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He watched as her eyelids slowly fluttered open from deep slumber. She squinted, adjusting to the shapes around her before her eyes finally enlarged to reveal their glimmer in them. A smile spread across her lips as she met the gaze of the man hovering over her, his green eyes admiring her every movement. Leaning on his side, he brought his hand up to shield her eyes from the brightening sunlight, now strewing in and introducing a new day.

"Have you been watching me the whole time?" she smiled at him and he smiled back mischievously. Her fingers lifted the covers higher to her neck. The air in the room was still cold and she didn't want to ruin the warmth wrapped within her sheets.

Axel shook his head at her, "If I told you I was, would you seduce me again like you did last night?" He laughed and she nudged his chin with her knuckles.

He turned back to face her and rose his eyebrows at her playfully. Tifa giggled, bringing her finger to draw a line down the bridge of his nose and poke at its end. The moment became slow as it did so many times the night before and Axel leaned in. He pressed his lips firmly against hers and she responded, bringing one hand into his fiery spikes of hair.

She hummed between their lips, still enjoying the taste of his lips brushing against hers. No matter how many times he kissed her, it was a flavor that would never get old. It still made her shiver and made her mouth water. He broke their kiss momentarily to bring his body over hers, resting on his elbows. He whispered into her ear, "Again…"

She didn't need to question further to know what he meant. She weakly protested, already failing, "I don't think I have any energy left" He broke her will so easily now, not that she minded.

He kissed her again on the lips, then her forehead. He whispered back, "Don't worry, slowly. I'll do it" His hot breath wisped over the tender skin on her neck and she could already feel the desire from her body calling out to him. She gasped even though his lips weren't even touching her yet and released her breath once she felt his lips finally meet her neck. It was just like he said, slowly, maturely, delicately, he was savoring her against him before he would take her fully.

She brought her hands to hold his head against her neck, arching her back and trying to near her body to his. He lifted himself up from her and brought his finger to her face. He wagged his finger at her, "Patience is a virtue" She pouted and his devious grin stretched longer. He hushed her before letting his body rest on hers again, returning to nourish on her sweet skin.

"You're so beautiful" his words tickled her ear and her eyes began to burn. Without looking his thumb wiped a tear forming in her eye, "You've shed enough tears during the night" Their night together, as he touched her, kissed her, held her and whispered to her, she had cried. She cried from releasing the pain she once had, she cried from enjoying the pleasure she was experiencing, she just shed tears unwillingly. He knew they weren't unhappy tears because he would've sensed the darkness. It seemed that she had so much on her shoulders and she had craved so much that when she was finally relieved, she could only cry from it the happiness of it all.

"I can't help it. I just- I-" He brought his finger to hush against her lips. His lips began to graze at the edges of her earlobe triggering her to say one of the things he found himself wanting to hear more throughout their time together. It wasn't exactly what she said but the way she said it, how she said it, the way it sounded coming from her lips during those intimate moments between them. It was his name.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cloud clutched the white plastic bags in his fingers. They were full of food and sweets. The Market Place was now bustling with people and voices clamored around him. The sunlight was at its brightest this morning and the gray had long cleared. He headed in the direction of the Inn with a determined look on his face.

Upon walking into the Inn, a small middle-aged woman rested her elbows on the wooden counter lazily. A green handkerchief wrapped around her brown short hair and she wore a white apron over her matching dress. She seemed to be dozing off until she saw the tall man appear through the Inn entrance. As he approached the stairway her eyes widened and she called out. "Oh no!"

Cloud spun his head to look at her in obvious shock from her sudden outburst. She waved her hands frantically in front of her before clearing her throat and scurrying to walk in front of him, blocking the stairway. "Are those for that young lady you brought in the other day?" She pointed to the groceries in his hands and he nodded without a word. He stared at her blankly and clearly confused.

She went behind him, pushing his back to move him away from the stairway toward the kitchen door next to the counter. "Well she seems to be sleeping peacefully and I'm sure you wouldn't want to disturb her so why don't you just take those groceries and put them in the kitchen for now. I'll be sure to give them to her and-" She was rambling nonsense nervously and this only gave him an itch of suspicion.

He pulled away from her grasp and turned to face her, furrowing his brows at her almost angrily, "What is the meaning of this nonsense? You've let me go to her room before when she was sleeping"

The woman brought her fingers to fumble in front of her face timidly. Her eyes darted around the room as if expecting something to happen to rescue her. Cloud kept his intimidating glare on her, waiting for an explanation. "Well umm- I just thought- that maybe-" She stammered and stuttered foolishly in front of him.

She had seen the young brunette run out crying that day because of him. She heard the yells of their heated argument echoing through the hollow ceiling of her kitchen. She also heard the same girl calling someone else's name blissfully through the same ceiling last night. It made her happy to know that the young girl seemed to have found a man worth her heart but now she couldn't bear the thought of this other man coming upstairs to destroy it. There had to be some way to convince him not to go upstairs but her mind was vacant from ideas.

Cloud did not bother waiting any longer, now growing inpatient he headed back to the stairway. The Innkeeper followed him, still rambling and urging frantically for him to come back downstairs. He tuned her out and instead, quickened his steps towards the direction of Tifa's room. His suspicion was at its peak and he demanded to know the reason why he was suddenly denied access to her room.

Finally he came to her mahogany door and brought out the spare key that the Innkeeper had given him days ago. The Innkeeper was running down the long hallway towards him, still pleading. She cursed herself for ever giving him the key. Within a split second he shoved the key into the lock, turned it and slammed open the door.

His jaw dropped and his eyes widened to a scene that his imagination thought too impossible to ever conjure. The Innkeeper gasped in fear and as Cloud's eyes burned and his heart shattered, the bags of groceries fell to the floor, sprawling its contents helplessly upon it. His lungs stopped contracting air and all movement in his body seemed paralyzed at that moment. Yet even though he was immobile and mute, his mind was screaming.

_Tifa! Why!_

**-----------------------------------------------------------------**

**Lilac Phoenix, when I read your review I laughed at that part when you said "I hope he doesn't walk in" cause I was like damn she hit it right on the nail Lol. You guessed it. Tough situation now huh. Caught red handed Tifa. Stay tuned.**

**Also I need a Beta reader so if anyone is good at English and writing and wants to volunteer plz let me know. Sometimes I need another set of eyes to spot the things that mines doesn't.**


	13. Chapter 12: Trapped

**Wow I had a hard time with this chap. I was writing it bit by bit between doing everything else so it was a little difficult. I also got the inspiration to write this Naruto oneshot so it distracted me a bit as well. I was playing KH2 last night, lvling up Sora's lvl and forms (need to beat Sephiroth, been lazy lately) and I realized, you know how I said the Nobody names and original names are anagrams of one another and that's why Reno could not possibly be Axel's original because of the name difference? I was like why doesn't Kairi and Namine follow that rule? Where the heck did they get Xemnas from Xehanort? I'm like wtf, now I'm confused. Why did they do it with Sora and Roxas' names but not these characters:sigh: I guess square can do whatever they like…**

**--------------------------------------------------------------**

Chapter 12 

Axel and Tifa both let out a sigh of relief once reaching their peaks. Axel still stood hovered over her, resting on his elbows and now gently separating himself from their entanglement. He fell onto his back lazily, letting out another sigh and a wide grin played across his jester-like features.

"Now how's that for a good morning greeting?" He turned on his side to the woman next to him and winked at her playfully. His arm pulled her body closer to his. Their chests still heaved heavily as they caught their breath. Tifa giggled before pulling his chin for another kiss and he dipped his head to her, obeying her sweet temptations.

As he kissed her, a familiar darkness passed through him. As it pulsed through his body he tried not to curl his lip with disgust at its familiarity. It wasn't Tifa's but he knew where it was from. It was vague but still strong enough for him to recognize his presence once he seemed to be nearing the building. Still he would not allow himself to speak of it, to taint their precious moment. The person that he knew was coming was no longer his concern. Right now, the woman in his arms was the only concern of his.

As he broke away from her, he reached down beside the bed to grab the long shirt and shorts she was wearing the night before. As he picked up the heap of material, Tifa eyed him suspiciously. He answered with a grin and placed it beside her. She had no idea she'd be needing it soon. As for him, it was simple enough to snap his fingers and his clothing would re-appear on his body as it was. That was the advantage of a being that didn't have an existence. If the beings aren't really there, neither is the clothing and can be changed at will. Being a Nobody did have its rewards at times.

"I just get the feeling you might get cold soon," his expression was somewhat serious, somewhat teasing. She couldn't decipher between the two.

Their noses touched and his breath spoke upon her damp lips. Loose strands of crimson fell over the sides of his face casting thin shadows against his features. She searched his eyes and as she arched a brow at him, he tickled her cheekbone with his fingertips, leaning in for another kiss. This was the way he wanted to be seen with her. This was the way he wanted him to see them.

She cooperated despite her prying questions, letting her nails trail gently up and down his forearm. She didn't know how she knew or how long it took for her to realize it but something was coming. Before she could react the footsteps in the hall came to a halt and a pleading female voice was heard outside. As she heard they key being jammed violently into the lock, her heart jumped through her chest until the door slammed open. The harsh bright light from the hall glowed upon their bare skin. She spun her head, breaking her and Axel's moment to look in the direction of the door that was now wide open. Wide open just like her secret, no longer a well kept one.

She squinted for a moment, shielding her eyes from the hallway light and adjusting to the tall masculine figure standing in the doorway. As she recognized the figure glaring down at her in shame and other emotions she'd rather not identify, her eyes grew wide with shock. She gasped, rushing to pull the covers up to her neck and fidgeting with the heap of clothing Axel had placed beside her moments ago.

"Cloud!" she meant to yell out but instead it was released from her voice box as a dry squeak. She swallowed the lump in her throat before rushing to sit up in the bed. Axel was already standing at the end of the bed, fully dressed. His gaze met Cloud's, burning with rage at one another. As Tifa fumbled foolishly with her words and her clothes, Axel moved in front of the bedside, blocking any possible approach to her by Cloud. Their intense gaze never broke away.

Finally pulling her shirt loosely over her head, she eyed the groceries sprawled out on the floor around Cloud. The small Innkeeper was hiding in the hallway, trembling with anticipation. A pang of guilt and shame throttled inside her. Waves of increasing nausea were making her intestines churn and tie. Her palms were damp as her nails dug into them.

"Cloud, listen!" she waved her hands in front of her frantically but it seemed that he was oblivious to her presence. What he saw was enough for him. It seemed her existence in the room had now vanished to his eyes and now the only one he was seeing was Axel.

Cloud ignored her pleas and soon enough the slow sounding ring of metal whined as he pulled out his buster sword from his back. Axel stretched out his arms just as cautiously, his chakrams appearing in his fingers, spinning with fiery light. Cloud spread his legs into offensive stance and Axel leaned forward, positioning himself as well.

Tifa didn't know where the voice in her suddenly erupted from but somehow she let out a shriek. "Stop it! Please!" Jumping in front of Axel, between him and Cloud, she held her arms out to stop the both of them from advancing any further. "No more…" her voice weakened again as her shoulders shook with emotion. She used all her energy to keep any tears from spilling from her eyes, her feet were still bare and her messy strands of hair hung over her face.

The room was soundless and slowly she raised her head to look at Cloud. His gaze did not meet hers but instead stood on Axel behind her. She felt her heart shatter, her will weaken and her ambition crumble. She never meant to cause Cloud pain. All she ever did was try to make him happy and here they were, ripping their history and hearts to shreds. Her breathe jumped as she whispered, "Please listen to me"

It didn't matter. His ears were deaf to her words. His eyes were blind to her presence. After witnessing such a traumatic event for him, her existence at that moment was no more. He couldn't allow himself to see her. All he allowed himself to see was his anger, his throbbing darkness that would help him bring this Nobody to its demise.

Cloud turned the sword in his hands, ready to strike whether Tifa was in the middle or not. Before Tifa could lunge forward at Cloud, Axel's chakrams had vanished, allowing him to wrap his arms around her waist and pull. She fell back against him and he held her against him while the entrance to the realm of darkness opened behind them. Before she could utter a word of protest, they were swallowed into the realm. By the time Cloud had ran to it, it had already closed.

His buster sword fell to the floor helplessly, the booming metal on the hollow wooden floor echoed through the empty room. He stared upon his own trembling hands, as if regret were written all over them. Shaking his head in denial he winced as if his body was in physical pain.

He didn't know where to start, where to begin describing the emotions running through him and what to do with them. He was helpless and the power of his sword could not save him. He glared at the empty space where his childhood friend and former lover had vanished into, wondering if she'd even return to this world. If she didn't, that was fine.

Of course as much as he told himself this, it was a lie.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time her eyes had opened again, she realized that the familiar kaleidoscope walls were dancing around her. She took a moment to register what was going on and almost forgot the heat of the familiar body that she was leaning her weight against. Her shoulder blades felt the warmth of his firm chest and his arms still stood hanging loosely on her waist. She didn't make any effort to move or speak.

Axel leaned in carefully behind her, his cheek brushing against her hair as his lips neared her ear. "Tifa…" he whispered to her in a tone masked with concern.

She clenched her fists at her sides, biting her lips from quivering. He didn't need to look at her to know how she was feeling. As always, he felt it.

Barrages of emotions were attacking each and every nerve in her body; still she refused to let it show. Shame, heartbreak, confusion, helplessness, betrayal, and most of all loneliness. She had never felt so alone as she did at that very moment despite the presence standing behind her. It was as if, just like a Nobody should be, he didn't exist at that moment. His existence was futile and served her no comfort for the pain she was experiencing.

Until this moment, she had never truly thought out the consequences of her forbidden infatuation with this non-existent being, only existing through her. For the first time in her life she let herself be selfish, indulging in her own happiness. She never anticipated such a severe ache that would come from it all; from the loss of her best friend and the only man she had ever loved in life. Cloud had always felt so far away from her at times, but at least he was still there. Yet, when she looked into his eyes after he had seen her in bed with another, she saw nothing. She was invisible. She didn't exist to him even though she was right in front of him, pleading for him to listen to her explanation.

After a long dragged moment of awkward silence, Axel began to notice the color in the walls dim darker. It was nothing to him but he needed to lead Tifa out to safety before the darkness consumed her. She was too weak to try and withstand it.

Tifa eyes were still focused on her feet when Axel spun her around to face him. His hands held her shoulders as he lowered his head to try and meet her gaze. Her dark bangs fell over her eyes and she did not make any effort to look up at him. Still he had to tell her it was time to move, whether she wanted to or not.

Right as he was about to tell her to stay beside him as he led her out, she spoke to him in the most saddening tone he had ever heard from her. "So this…must be what it's like to be a Nobody, a shell without a heart and no existence"

Axel cringed and shook her out from her daze, "Don't say that! You have a heart and you do exist!" she gasped, surprised at his sudden outburst. His aggressive tone caused her to lift her head to him, to meet his furrowing brows and ambitious eyes. One of his hands rose from her shoulder to the side of her neck, the warmness of his touch still made her skin tighten, even in a situation such as this one.

As his sight on her softened, he inched his face to hers and whispered, "Your heart's just broken, that's all…and even if you don't exist to him, you exist right now in front of me. If he really cares for you, your existence will never fade from his eyes"

She stared blankly at him until she finally nodded, registering his words into her mind. She didn't know what to say to Axel's words but she knew he was right about one thing. As always, even when Cloud had seemed to forsake her, he was there, willing to lighten the load on her shoulders. Her head tilted in his grasp in deep thought. The way he looked at her, the way he spoke to her, the way he touched her, the way he was always there, this was what she…

"Tifa, do you love me?" she blinked from her daze. He had caught her off guard.

Once again, another thing she had never completely thought out, the possibility of love for this Nobody. She knew she was falling in love but she wasn't quite sure if it was right to say such words just yet. To say such meaningful words to a being that would never feel the exact same way no matter how hard he tried. To love, you needed a heart and a heart he did not have.

As her lips parted to reply, he quickly rose his finger to her lips. It seemed that another presence had caught his attention. Axel removed his finger from her lips and opened his palm behind her. As he subtly opened an exit from the realm, his brows bent in deep concentration, still looking around for any suspicious movement.

He felt it, that disgusting stench approaching them, somewhere in the realm. Even though he said that there was no point in harming Tifa, Axel couldn't risk it. Tifa turned to the grounds surrounding them, now noticing the white shadows twisting and emerging from below. Dusks… he was planning to surround them first. There wasn't enough time to explain fully to Tifa.

Axel spoke quickly, grabbing Tifa's face in his hands, "Tifa listen, Saix is coming and I need you to go through that exit. We need to separate. I'll come find you later"

Tifa shook her head, "No, I can fight. Where does the exit-"

"I don't know where it goes but it's safer than if you stay here. Just go and don't follow me. Hurry before it closes" With a quick nod he released her face in his hands and ran the other direction. The Dusks followed after him. Tifa turned around to see the warping exit behind her. She ran towards it and just as she was about to get close enough to leap out, she spun back around at the sound of clashing metal. His chakrams burned at his fingertips as he ran, never looking back and revealing her presence to the enemy.

Tifa reached out in his direction and on instinct she began running towards him. Her hands balled into fists ready to strike as she tried to get closer to him. For some reason no matter how fast she ran, it seemed that she wasn't getting any closer.

Axel held out his palm, opening another exit to what must've been a different world from the one he had sent her to. She watched as his black cloak disappeared into the exit, followed by numerous Dusks and Saix's sadistic laughter. She watched as the exit shut closed, leaving her to stop in her tracks. She spun around to run towards the other exit he had left open for her but it was shrinking. Her heart pumped in her heaving chest as she ran full speed towards the it. Her hand reached for it, helplessly watching it get smaller and smaller as she got closer.

"No!" she screamed right before the exit had fully vanished. "No, no it can't close"

She fell to her knees as she wheezed. She trembled as the walls within the realm darkened. It was almost completely black now. The darkness was entrapping her, suffocating her inside. There was no escape. It was too late.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Axel spat curses between his cringing lips as he exited the realm. He had only noticed her following him right after the realm had shut. Why hadn't she listened? He cursed her stubbornness and rebellious side.

As the Dusks surrounded him and Saix had finally appeared in front of him with a wide grin, he knew that it was pointless. Even though he wanted to, even though he knew he had to, Saix would not let him go back. He would not be able to rescue her from the wrath of the realm. All he could do was fight for his life and pray, pray that somehow in someway, that the darkness would not consume her and she'd escape. Of course that was only if he survived as well.

**-----------------------------------------------------------**

**Hmm so now Tifa's stuck in the realm and Axel has his hands full. Well I'd like to give you a hint but it would spoil too much, let's just say something earlier in the story may begin to make a lot more sense soon. I always have a reason for everything. **


	14. Chapter 13: A Voice in the Darkness

**Sorry I took a bit long to update. Hope this chap makes up for it. I've been a little sidetracked by things like work and getting into college. I've also been writing this KakaxSaku fic that I'm not sure what I'm gonna do with it just yet. Blah blah time to read hurray!**

**----------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 13**

The kaleidoscope walls had long faded. It was darker beyond nightmares and deeper than the pitches black. Time did not exist within the infinite pit of dead silence. The only sounds that comforted her were soft breaths emitted from her heavy lungs. At least she could still tell that she was alive and even so, she could not be too sure.

The heaviness of the dark air had seemed to suffocate her at first. With some effort though she was able to withstand the weight of it. Her body was strong even though at times her heart was weak. As fear wrenched at her insides, causing a dissaray of doubts, she held on. She stood patient as she waited, either for death or something else.

The ground beneath her was hard and cold. Since being trapped in the realm was almost like being physically blind, she figured the best thing to do was to stay in one place. She didn't know where her feet would lead her if she tried to move. She couldn't see her own hands in front of her, even if she brought them to her face. There had to be more light beneath her eyelids than here. It was too dark.

She couldn't tell how much time had passed since she had been trapped. Could it have been minutes? Hours? Days? Or even worse, she couldn't tell. All human necessities such as hunger and thirst had evaporated. It seemed that the only emotions her body was able to display were the internal ones. That must've been why it was possible for people to get lost and wander the realm without death ever finding them. She hoped she wouldn't be one of them.

This must've been why people became consumed by the darkness. The darkness left minds idle to wander through its reckless thoughts. Slowly as time wore on these thoughts would gnaw at the heart. There was only one way to go when engulfed in the realm and that was insanity. Only the process and pace of it differed. It was very rare that someone escaped the realm and she had heard of many that had wandered aimlessly for longer than time could tell before they somehow made it out, never the same person again.

Tifa shuddered at the thought. The last thing she wanted to think about was eternally wandering in this realm of nothing but black ink. She had to stay patient and confident. She knew she had one thing that many others that found themselves lost in the darkness didn't have. She had a burning light who was immune to the darkness, born from it, therefore had no fear of it. He was the only being that could probably wander around and know where he was going. In order to leave the darkness you either had to be lead, become consumed and or be from it.

As her arms huddled her knees closer to her, the first symptoms of darkness began to show. Her mind was beginning to shuffle through its memories and regrets. One regret being that she didn't listen to Axel's instructions when he parted ways with her. That was an obvious one.

"Axel…" his name slipped through her lips like sweet wine. Her lips curled at its feel in her mouth and coated in her voice as a whisper. Even though she was talking to herself and she didn't know whether or not she would ever see the light of day again, still that name provided her some relief in the meantime. It would hold her at the brink of sanity before she would eventually fall over. He was the only thing keeping her hope alit.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours had passed and Axel could barely hold enough strength to keep his knees from buckling beneath him. Drops of sweat drew mazes down his damp face. The flames at the ends of his chakram were fading, being blown out by the drain of his fight.

Even though he had aimlessly opened a random exit to escape Saix and lure him away from Tifa, somehow they had entered what seemed to be the world that he found Cloud in. It almost amused him, of all the worlds he could've possibly ended up in it had to be this one. Was this fate's cruel way of toying with him? It was as if no matter where he went, he could not escape him. Cloud. He was everywhere. In the back of Tifa's mind and engraved in her heart, in the mist of his doubts and slamming open doors uninvited to destroy perfectly blissful moments. Damn him. He was like a leech all of a sudden. Whether it was his name or his presence, he was beginning to become a burden.

Axel growled as he watched those wretched white shadows coil on the ground like snakes and rise up like haunting ghosts. Then again, that's what Dusks and the Nobody race were. They were like ghosts. They were the leftover remnants of what was once a being with a heart and now they were just empty shells searching for purpose. Axel silently decided he'd much rather be a ghost, at least they had memories to dwell on and an afterlife to hope for once set free. What would he look forward to after he faded? Where do beings that never existed in the first place go when they vanish from this life?

Grains of sand scratched his eyes and blurred his vision as he ran. He no longer had the energy to fight against this many Dusks along with Saix haunting him with his sarcastic remarks. The few attempts he made to strike Saix in the mouth to make him eat those same words he lashed out at him, he was only met with failure and a dose of pain. There was no time, for all he knew; Tifa could be lost in the never-ending vortex of nothingness already.

Saix's laughter rang through his ears as he ran. It made his skin crawl and his fingers itch to slash his chakram through his body. Yet he wasn't strong enough, he had too much on his mind.

"What's wrong Axel? Has the Flurry of Dancing Flames lost its rhythm?"

Axel's lips curled more but he knew he was just provoking him. He wanted him to come back and amuse him further. If it weren't for Tifa he would've been more than happy to amuse him until one or both of them met their demise. His existence wasn't worth much after Roxas had gone but now that he had met her, he had something to live for.

Her words whispered in his head over and over, nagging him at his current tough situation.

_Axel…you're the light I was always looking for._

As the fiery haired being continued to run at full speed, he almost felt as if his body reacted to those words in his head. It was almost as if he felt something. Feeling was only a physical reaction his body did but never emotionally because he had no heart. Yet it was as if something was tugging at him, almost painfully inside at the remembrance of those words that she said to him that night, through tears of happiness.

Without meaning to he blurted out, "I won't let you down Tifa! I said I'd be the fire that lights your darkness. Wait for me"

He had a plan in mind. Not one he was very fond of or one that was well thought out, just desperate but almost guaranteed to work. He had no choice because he knew soon enough he'd have no energy left. His pride or whatever humans would call this was something that wasn't of value compared to Tifa. He'd had to find the only person who would risk as much as he would for her. And that person was Cloud.

"I have a feeling I'll kick myself later for this"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Innkeeper finally managed to shove the man outside into the blinding sunlight, much to his dissent. The woman couldn't bear to see him on his knees staring at the blank spot on the floor all day. Sure the girl he must've had deep feelings for was caught with someone else and had somehow magically disappeared within what could only be described as some strange black warping door. However clenching your fists on the floor helplessly wouldn't help ease the pain. After offering to serve him a hot meal in which he bitterly and quietly chewed and swallowed, she urged him that a little sunlight would help to clear the cobwebs in his head.

"You see, now doesn't that feel better? You're a good-looking young man. I'm sure you'll have another young lady drooling over you in no time?"

He did not reply to her as she strained to lift his giant sword into his arms. Cloud stood stiffly outside the entrance of the Inn. The groceries had had bought were left behind and long forgotten. It was the least of his worries. The image of her body intertwined with someone else's was staining his thoughts. It wasn't the fact that she was with someone else that hurt him the most but the fact that he had never seen her so happy. He couldn't remember the last time she looked like that. The way her delicate hand was placed on this other man's arm and the way her lips were pressed against his, it was such an aching and bruising thought.

All he could think of now was all the disappointment he was to her and all the ways he could've made it up to her but never would get the chance to. Now someone else was making up for all the pain he had caused her. Someone else that he could not fully put his trust into, whether it was because it was jealousy or because he wasn't human, he could not tell.

Now growing impatient, the small woman flicked the side of Cloud's head to snap him out from his daze. He shook his head in surprise as he looked down, wide eyed at the woman standing in front of him, stubby fists on her wide hips. She raised her index finger to his face in a mother-like fashion, causing him to step back as she did this.

"Now if you're gonna dwell on things, don't dwell on what you did wrong but what you can do right from now on. Even if things can't go back to the way you want them to, you should never stop giving your all"

Cloud blinked and stared blankly at the Innkeeper in front of him. She grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "Don't worry son, you'll see her again" With that she released him with a smile and turned to walk back into the Inn with a wave.

A weak smile formed on Cloud's pale face. He lifted his sword to slide into the straps on his back before sighing to himself. The woman was right. Sitting there in Tifa's room wouldn't have fixed anything. Dwelling in his regrets and being afraid to move forward wouldn't fix anything either. It was strange but the advice that the woman had given him was the same advice that had been drilled into his head time and time again by Tifa in the past. Perhaps it took a situation such as this and to hear it from elsewhere for it to really hit home.

No matter what happened, he promised himself that he would protect her and he would see that promise through. As if on cue, a black figure emerged from on top of the roofs a couple of houses down. Cloud recognized the fiery spikes immediately and he watched almost confused as a trail of Dusks followed behind the running figure.

Cloud's eyes widened as he realized it and a sudden horrific feeling groped his chest. Tifa wasn't with him and he was being chased by Nobodies. This couldn't be good. Without any thought or self-objection, Cloud kicked up the walls to land on top of the roof to the Inn, awaiting the crimson figure to approach him. He slowly pulled out his buster sword and got into position, unsure of what to expect.

"Where's Tifa?" he yelled to Axel. He saw that he was out of breath and drained. He must've been running and fighting for quite some time. The sweat bleeding through the black material sticking to his body was proof of it.

"Tifa, she's in the realm of darkness. She got left behind" Even though Axel was glad that his plan worked and just as expected Cloud's feelings for Tifa were stronger than his hatred for him, it was hard to hide the feelings of resent between them. Yet without question Cloud seemed ready to protect her at all costs necessary and that was what he was gambling on. Thankfully it was successful. Even if he didn't have the energy left to go on, at least he knew Cloud would continue without him in search for Tifa. Cloud had successfully traveled through the realm before and he was his only chance.

Cloud cringed, "Left behind? You left her?"

Axel ran behind him, waving his hands in front of him in defense, "It's not what you think. We were attacked and instead of separating she followed me"

Surprisingly a brief grin swept across Cloud's face, "As always Tifa, never know when to let a man do a man's job, always wanting to jump in and help"

Axel grinned back, even though he hadn't known Tifa as long as Cloud did, he knew it was true. Tifa couldn't stand back for long without wanting to put her fists up and get in on the action too. If she had something to protect, she wouldn't hesitate to do so.

"So what do you propose we do now Nobody?" Cloud directed his sarcasm to the black-cloaked man standing back to back with him on the Inn roof. Cloud had his sword out and Axel managed to bring out the strength to release his chakrams and send them ablaze with light flames. Dusks surrounded them as another black figure emerged from the sky above them. His sharp ears only made his grin look more devilish as he looked down upon his opponents.

"I don't know but I know we gotta think fast. If Tifa stays too long in the realm, we may never find her"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She thought eternity was how long the wait felt for whenever Cloud would get home or return a phone call. She thought eternity was the time it took to get Cloud to return her feelings the way she had displayed them to him. She thought eternity was waiting for the children to fall asleep in the orphanage every night. Maybe eternity was the time it took to close the bar after kicking out all of the staggering hiccupping men who'd throw a pass at her. A sarcastic smile stretched on her lips as she finally realized, these things were barely pieces of her life. This was what eternity felt like.

Eternity was when you rummaged through your thoughts so much that you had nothing left to think about. When you've skimmed through your memories so much, you had to imagine fantasies to make up for the ones you couldn't recall anymore. When counting your fingers and screaming did nothing but drove you into madness. You couldn't even see your fingers. This was definitely, without a doubt, what eternity felt like.

She already thought about the guilt she felt from Cloud catching her and Axel in bed. She already thought about the possibilities of where a relationship, if it can even be called that, would go with Axel. She thought about the question he asked her and if she could answer him back in all honesty. Truly, she thought about everything that she could and at the end she reached no conclusion except for the fact that she couldn't wait to get out of the realm and be lucky enough to even feel the warmth of a man's arms again whether it be Cloud, Axel or whoever. Warmth was extinct in the realm and she hated it.

The silence that surrounded her was unnerving. The darkness enveloping her was frustrating and frightening. The fact that she felt like a little girl lost in a maze was pride shattering. Even death seemed like heaven instead of staying in the realm.

Tifa's nails dug into her arms as she held in her emotions. She didn't want to cry. She was tired of crying. She had cried too much lately and was contradicting the powerful woman she was always striving to be. Yet she always noticed, whenever the sunset or in the darkness of her bedroom corners, her eyes would burn. It was as if the darkness brought it out of her. It made her feel more lonesome.

"All I ever did was love and no matter how much I loved and how much I gave, this is what I always get at the end!" she yelled into the empty atmosphere in attempt to relieve herself.

She had thought about it in her head and even felt it at the tip of her tongue but it was difficult to say those words. She had only said those words to one person and she couldn't deny that she still meant it for that person even if she had developed feelings for someone else. As her hope dripped its way dry, Tifa had finally given up. In a defeated yell she screamed once again. She wanted to see what it felt like to scream out what she felt now that no one was listening.

"I- I love you Cloud and I always will! You hurt me and even though I know that you never meant to, you did. You were never home and when you did come home, you kept yourself at a distance. Do you know how I felt when I woke up to an empty bedside and you were going about the orphanage as if nothing had happened the night before? I don't understand, why you never let yourself trust in me…"

She sucked in a wheezy breath before continuing to release her confessions to nothing, "That's why…that's why I got so attached to him, to Axel. You don't know how he makes me feel Cloud. Sure he can never be you and he can never replace the feelings that I have for you but…with him I feel new things. Even though he has no heart I finally know what it's like to be needed. And when I woke up from being asleep next to him, he was still there, watching me the entire time. I never knew what that felt like until he did it. You…always left before the sun rose"

Her body moved by itself as she stood up. She wrapped her hair into a messy bun on top of her head. In an unsure voice she finished, "I- I don't know if this is right or if I'll feel strange after saying this but…I think I- I love him. I love you Axel"

There. She had finally said it. It was awkward and the heat that rushed to her face was thankfully not seen by anyone. She had only known Axel less than two months and yet, saying that out loud was a relief. She needed to say it to herself, even if she wasn't ready to say it to him. Still she wasn't sure if saying it to a being whose body was deprived of such an emotion, was the right thing to do.

Soundlessness lingered in the air until after a long moment pause; Tifa's ears picked up on a very faint sound. Her ears perked up to the sound as she strained to listen. It sounded like…like a voice.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Tifa yelled out, her palms on the sides of her mouth so that her voice echoed louder.

The voice responded. It was far but she could tell, it was a woman's voice. "I'm here. Where are you?"

Tifa began to move closer towards the direction of the sound, waving her hands in front of her even though she knew there was really nothing to bump into, it was a habit. Tifa called out again and the voice responded, getting closer. Her heart was pounding and this time she let a few tears flow loosely down her cheeks. They were tears of relief and even if she couldn't ever escape the realm, it would be nice to have some company.

After they continued to call out to each other, soon enough Tifa felt as if she could feel a presence nearing her. She stood stiff and instructed, "Stop. Are you nearby?"

"Yes, your voice sounds close" Indeed it was. Tifa waved her hands towards the sound and her skin jumped when she touched something. Touched someone. It seemed that the other person had reacted the same way and she gasped in fright and then sighed in relief.

Tifa linked fingers with the person in front of her, not caring that they were total strangers. Just the voice and warmth of someone else was a relief and it didn't matter. Her hands were trembling and she could tell by the thin fingers linked in hers that the hand she was holding was definitely a woman.

"H-how did you find me?" Tifa almost laughed at the whole situation. Who would've thought that she'd be lucky enough to bump into someone else also stuck in the realm at the same time as her.

"Actually I was looking for someone else but somehow I was led to you," her voice was trembling with some excitement as well.

"Led? What do you mean?"

"I felt it. I felt the light in your heart. It was just like mines and I followed it" Just like hers? What did she mean by that?

"But how if you couldn't see?"

The woman in front of her laughed, "I didn't have to see. I just closed my eyes and used my heart to see"

Tifa shook her head in disbelief. Why hadn't she done something like that? How come she didn't sense her? As if she read her mind, she answered, "You probably didn't sense me because your mind was already clouded with too much darkness"

"I- I don't understand…who are you? Who were you looking for?" Tifa moved to sit down, still gripping the other person's hands in fear of letting go. She didn't object and did the same, following her lead to sit on the cold hard floor once again. As she did this, Tifa heard a slight jingle of metal as the woman next to her slumped heavily onto the floor. Rings?

"My name…"

Tifa neared the girl next to her, lifting her ear to hear her. She sat cross-legged beside her as her company did the same. One hand held hers and rested between the both of them. She quietly awaited the name of this mystery person.

"It's Rinoa"

**--------------------------------------------------------------**

**I know I know you guys are like wtf? If you played FFVIII you know who this is. If not, the next chapter I'll make sure to clear some things up. Also you guys are like where did she come from and how did she get there? Don't worry, I have an explanation for that too just like I had an explanation for what happened to Zack and everything else in this story. As for what I said in the last chap how something that happened earlier was going to make sense, just think of the feather scene with Leon. That was like my little foreshadowing of what I was planning but no one knew. Anyway stay tuned!**


	15. Chapter 14: A Flicker of Hope

**A mixture of different scenes and flashbacks. I decided to do it this way than have this whole step-by-step action scene yadda yadda. Hope it all goes well. I've been looking forward to writing this chapter and the next one for a while. It's long so think of it as me making up for all the time it took for me update.**

**Also for those of you that I didn't PM personally, the lemon chapter requested for after chapter 10 has been available on my Live Journal for viewing. Please leave all feedback and comments on that chap on there. I'd like to know what you guys think of it. Enjoy.**

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 14**

"Oh man, is Leon gonna flip when he sees this. Are you sure about this?" asked the jovial young kunoichi clasping her hands in front of her in excitement. Her eyes widened and glistened as she observed the two women in front of her.

"She looks authentic to me. If she says she is who she says she is, I see no reason to doubt her" Merlin raised an informative finger as he spoke.

Merlin's words only encouraged Yuffie's display of joy. She thrusted her hand in the air triumphantly, "Okay, but I wanna do it, let me! Let me!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Damn…" Leon sputtered inaudible curses beneath his breath after stubbing his toe on some random piece of debris in Ansem's study.

After almost falling over because of the mess left behind by the Wise Ansem, it only provoked him to go back to the computer room although he was originally planning to clean up the study. It smelled too much of old yellowing pages and reeked of dust and mold in corners he wished he never discovered. In a way it was a relief to save the task for another time. It was too frustrating he decided, as if he didn't have enough work to do.

With all the restoration that still needed to be done and the research that still needed to be unveiled within Ansem's quarters, it seemed the one most enthusiastic about getting it done was him. Of course the others offered a hand and did their part but they never did too much. Whenever it came to suggesting an overnighter or some overtime, unless the town's safety was at stake, everyone seemed to be ducking around corners to avoid him. The thing that made him cringe the most is when he finally hunted them down and confronted them about the work that needed to be done they'd smile innocently and act as if they weren't avoiding him in the first place.

A workaholic was what they referred to him as. Maybe even neurotic but he couldn't help it. Work was the only thing that could occupy his mind and shove out the things he didn't want there. Work was the only thing that made him feel like he had a purpose, like he could redeem himself for the sins that have long stained his past. Work was the only way he could feel like he could go on.

Walking into the computer room with a scowl an electronic but friendly voice greeted him, "Having a bad day Leon?"

With clenched fists, trying not to take his anger out on the living machine he simply nodded, "Oh not at all. Couldn't be having a day any better than this. After all, I'm the only one that gets anything done around here"

"Hey!" replied the computer, obviously offended by his comment.

Leon sighed, releasing the tension and stiffness from his shoulders. Now smiling in defeat he walked up to the keyboard and gave it a friendly pat. "Sorry Tron, didn't mean you"

"Understood" was all he said back.

Leon began clearing up the documents nearby, sifting through them slowly as his eyes followed along the words. He wasn't really reading them. He'd do this sometimes. He'd find himself dazing off while in the middle of a task, somehow dazing off into his past unwillingly. After all it was the only time when he could think of who he used to be, who he really was. Not many people even knew his real name. It was not something he was fond of sharing because he changed it as his way of shielding himself from his true self. The self that lied within him that made him daze off, that made him stay awake at night, the self that would scar him for as long as time would allow him to live.

Shaking his head to re-enter reality he placed the pile of papers next to the computer before bringing himself to type onto the keyboard. Before he could get anywhere Tron spoke again, "Leon you have an incoming call"

"I'm busy so just ignore it"

"It seems the call coming through is urgent"

Leon stroked his chin for a moment in thought. Finally he sighed and nodded, "Put it through then" His eyes rolled the minute a round smiling face appeared on the screen. He squeezed the bridge of his nose between his eyes trying not to be too mean. He wasn't in the mood for Yuffie's little sister tugging on his sleeve tantrums.

"What do you want Yuffie? It better be important"

He was a bit startled and even worried upon hearing nothing but silence after he asked what her intentions were. Usually she was bubbling with energy and couldn't wait to bombard him with her stories or beg him to practice with her at the Olympus Coliseum. Silence was not Yuffie; therefore it was a very unsettling feeling that twisted in his stomach because of it.

He lifted his gaze to the screen at Yuffie's still smiling face, a very sly smile like she knew something he didn't know.

"There's a visitor here to see you Leon"

His brows furrowed, "A visitor? Why didn't you just tell them to come by when I was less busy?"

Her smile stretched wider, unhinging Leon's nerves even more. "Well because you're always busy and…"

Yuffie raised her finger to press on her lips, almost as if she were trying to string together the words she wanted to say in her head.

"And? And what?"

Yuffie's face transforming to bubbling child into solemn made Leon's heart jump. Something was not right. Something was strange, very strange. "She said to show you this and that you'll come"

Yuffie gracefully and cautiously raised a silver chain up into the screen's view. Leon's eyes widened at the silver ring turning and dangling at its end. Although worn and stained, there was no mistaking it.

Trembling eyes stared at the resemblance to the one on his finger. Feeling lightheaded as if his heart had stopped all air to his body, he held up his weight on his palms resting on the edge of the computer. He couldn't think, he couldn't move, he couldn't react.

"This isn't funny Yuffie!" his voice came out like a whimpering cry being forcibly contained with anger. It was as if all his past, the good and the bad, all washed away in the back of his mind had come rushing back in one full blow. It was too much.

Yuffie, still serious continued to hold the ring in the screen's view. A brief look of guilt spread on her face. She knew she was guilty of all the pranks she had played on Leon in attempt to lighten him up or just for fun. Maybe she had gone too far because what she was telling him now, was nowhere near a joke, nowhere near at all.

She strained her voice to be as humble and honest as possible, "Leon, I would never play a prank like this on you. Not like this…"

The thing that scared Leon the most was the look on her face and the tone of her voice. He knew she wasn't lying.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Nice to meet you Tifa, although I would've rather met you under different circumstances," Rinoa attempted a laugh to lighten the whole situation.

"I know what you mean. The realm of darkness isn't exactly my hang out spot" They continued to laugh, sweaty palms pressed against one another's. Even though it was a relief to find some other form of life within this eternal pit, it still didn't change the severity of the situation dawning upon them. They were still stuck either way.

"I'm came in here looking for someone named Squall. Know him?"

Tifa shook her head unconsciously even though Rinoa wouldn't see it. It rang a bell in the back of her mind and some sort of familiarity tugged at her heart but she didn't know anyone by that name. "Nope, sorry. Friend of yours?"

Rinoa paused briefly and just as Tifa began to wonder what she had said wrong, she answered, "A little more than that actually…"

Tifa's head hung regretfully, "I'm sorry if I brought back some unwanted feelings"

"No it's not that. It's just that I've been looking for him for a long time now. It was miracle enough to have run into you in here so I figured why not another miracle. Hey, it could happen" Rinoa forced on a smile.

Tifa nodded in agreement, "Yeah, a miracle would be good right about now. So why would you be in here looking for him though? How did you get in here?"

"Our world was swallowed into darkness and dark creatures years ago. We got separated and I've been traveling through random worlds and the realm since then"

Tifa gasped and spun around in surprise, "You can travel through the realm without the darkness consuming you and actually escaping it?" If it weren't for the blackness coating their vision, Rinoa would've seen Tifa's eyes widen and almost flicker with hope.

"Well I did before. The light burning in my heart would always lead me out somehow as long as I stayed strong. Yet as I continued to roam the worlds without finding him, I guess the hope in my heart has been fading a bit. That probably explains why I'm having such a hard time getting out now," Rinoa shrugged, a little embarrassed.

Tifa turned back around, leaning her back against Rinoa's. Her long hair brushing against Rinoa's back whose long hair also tickled her elbows. Tifa's hand rose to her chin in thought as she spoke, "Hmm, that may explain how I got out of the realm when I followed Cloud"

Rinoa lifted her head toward Tifa, "Cloud? Friend of yours?"

"A little more than that" the same answer Rinoa had given her except it had a whole other meaning behind it. Although her heart had been willingly given to someone else, Cloud was someone that stood by her side for so many years and she knew that she would always have a love for him in her heart. Friend was not the word she would use for him, not now, not ever.

"I kinda jumped in after him and somehow ended up in a world other than my own. I was looking for him too"

"Did you find him?"

"Yeah…but it's complicated. If I would've known the things that were going to take place once I jumped into the realm after him, who knows if I would've jumped in willingly"

"So why did you jump in then?"

"He always promised to come and save me whenever I was in a pinch. So I guess I wanted to return his promise" Tifa sighed. It was weird but the warmth on her back was a comforting feeling although this girl was a complete stranger to her. The fingers linked in hers made her feel as if the hand she was holding was like her sister or better yet considering the way they met, her guardian angel. Even though they had just met under such desperate circumstances, it seemed they already had a lot in common.

Rinoa broke the silence, "A promise…yeah, I made one of those too".

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The wind didn't calm the burn in his eyes as he ran full speed toward cliffs and alleys to the town. Clenching his glowing gunblade and cutting any heartless in his way, it only fueled the adrenaline pulsing through his body. His legs seemed to move swiftly without any thought. It was that same instinct that made him dart out from Ansem's study and run. Swarms of doubts and mixed emotions suffocated his head, clawing his heart.

His long brown hair swayed past his unsure expression as he ran, heart pumping. He couldn't describe what was happening inside of him. It was chaos.

_Rinoa, it can't be you._

Images of memories that once sweetened his life passed through him in reminiscence. Her hands on his face, her arms hanging from his neck as they swayed to music, the warmth in his arms when she slept. It hurt so much to remember the things he had hid away along with his name.

Flower fields hugged in golden sunlight, the promise they had made to meet there if they ever separated. That place no longer existed. Once his world was restored that was the first thing he did when his memories flooded back and his feet hit the land. His small glimmer of hope was only met with painful disappointment after nights of sleeping in the bare oddments of what used to be the flower field for nothing to come. Eventually he had come to terms with himself that she was gone. There was nothing he could do. Her knight had failed to protect her.

Most of all the memory of how it happened stung him, how the world he had strived so much to save at one time, all the friends he had made, when he finally let people in, it was all gone within the blink of an eye.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Green blades and flower petals swished in the warm spring breezes. Clear blue skies graced by clouds hung above the two lover's heads below.

Squall's arms wrapped around Rinoa as they sat in the grass, surrounded by flowers. Rinoa twiddled Squall's ring attached to the necklace around her neck in her fingers. Her head nuzzled into his warm chest as they closed their eyes, soaking in the peace around them.

"Rinoa, I wanted to ask you something before we head back," Squall's husky voice whispered above her head. He swallowed the nervous lump in his throat as Rinoa lifted herself up from the comfort of his embrace to meet his eyes.

He knew he was in way over his head when her eyes widened in curiosity and his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. It must've been over almost two years since the world had been saved from the clutches of destruction, almost two years since he had devoted his heart and life to the woman in his arms. Sure as time went on she had helped to open him up but nothing would prepare him for the words he wanted to say to her. Expressing his emotions was never his forte.

Rinoa tilted her head and smiled, bringing her finger to trickle down the scar on his face. "What is it?" This only made him more nervous.

Just as his mouth opened and words were about to spill out, her eyes looking up at him widened at something else. She was no longer curious but terrified and shocked. Her jaw dropped as she gasped and wordlessly clutched and tugged onto his collar to signal for him to look up at the sky.

Squall spun his head to look up at the sky now spinning into what could only be described as a dark murky warp. He quickly got to his sense and stood up, pulling her limp and unsure body with him. "We've got to run back to the Garden now!"

Before they could run too far the ground began to shake beneath their feet. Lightning sliced through the murky skies above them and as the rock beneath them started to crack and break, screams were heard in the distance. It happened so fast; next to the strange black creatures swarming over the land, the chunks of earth being swallowed into the warps appearing in the sky and ground, words could not describe what was happening.

Next thing he knew he saw Balamb Garden spinning and being dragged into the hungry warping hole. He clutched onto Rinoa's shoulders as they watched helplessly, figures of bodies falling from their spinning home, people running and yelling on the ground in every direction. Selphie's voice was heard screeching out to Irvine and Zell was seen lost amongst the strange black creatures as he tried to defend himself from them.

He didn't know how it happened. All he knew was that everything was getting sucked in while he tried eagerly to fend off these unknown creatures attacking him. Everything was being devoured into what seemed like an infinite darkness. Even though he was doing okay getting these creatures away, it seemed that the more of these creatures that came, the more of his world that vanished.

Squall's voice screamed at its highest pitch as he found himself holding onto the branches of a tree for his life, Rinoa clinging onto his arm like she was hanging from a string.

"Don't let go! You can't let go!" Squall pleaded as he felt Rinoa's fingers slipping from his strong grasp. She felt like grains of sand. He couldn't hold onto her any longer.

To his surprise, Rinoa smiled as tears flew from her eyes, "Remember our promise"

Squall's eyes widened as she yelled her last words of love to him and her fingers unwillingly escaped his. Squall yelled and let go of the branch, allowing himself to fly into the winds of chaos towards the warp. He reached out for her desperately and she did the same. This wasn't outer space; there was no floating to one another. Their bodies were being thrashed and spun around to an unknown destination.

All Squall could remember last was the horrifying visions of his beloved world and the people he cared for being devoured or defeated by strange creatures. The last thing he heard was all the deafening screams ringing in his ears including his own before it all went black. He woke up in Traverse Town after that. He was alone.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Aww you can't see him in that. Merlin would you mind?" Yuffie gestured toward the elderly man stroking his long white beard for a bit of a wardrobe change.

He lifted his magic wand into the air towards the brunette in front of him, "For the head of the Restoration Committee, it's done"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once again an unknown amount of stretched mind-numbing time dragged on inside the realm. The two girls holding hands, backs resting on one another's had grown silent for some time as they lost each other in their own thoughts.

"So what was he like?" Tifa attempted to make conversation.

Rinoa's lips curved with a smirk, "He was a serious stiff that never let anyone in"

Tifa laughed loudly, "Just like Cloud!"

They giggled at nothing at all. Even though they had laughed at what Rinoa said, after a few seconds that the humor should've worn off, they continued to laugh for no reason. Maybe from insanity finally claiming their minds, maybe from the sadness lurking inside them, maybe from nothing at all. It just happened.

"Yeah but he changed a bit once I came to disrupt him" Tifa could sense the pain in her new friend from the trembling in her fingers. Tifa clenched tighter in reassurance. Words of Tifa's past came spilling out from her and Rinoa did the same. They both listened intently; it was what they needed most even if it was to a complete stranger.

Her heart jumped at the sounds of his name every time Rinoa said it until she could no longer contain her urges. "You said he wears a lion emblem around his neck?" Rinoa nodded and Tifa turned, "Someone I know named Leon wears one too and he's a serious stiff just like Squall"

Rinoa turned to Tifa, now on her knees and clenching both of Tifa's hands in hers. "Leon, you mean Leonhart? It's Squall's last name!" Tifa could sense the hope in her voice returning.

"I don't know if it's the same person but I just have a feeling, it tells me that we need to get out of here and find out"

Rinoa smiled, "It's funny how the hope in your heart had faded even lower than mines and now it seems that you're the more hopeful one out of the two of us"

"I guess I realized that things could've been worse. I guess meeting someone like me and hearing your story just made me want you to reunite with this person, just like I want to reunite with the people I love. If you've gotten out of here before, we can help each other"

"So does that mean you're gonna tell Axel and Cloud how you feel?" Rinoa arched a brow in challenge towards Tifa.

"Only if you promise to never give up looking for Squall"

"Deal!" They shook hands and eagerly stood up with a new burst of confidence.

"I can't wait to get out of here and actually see a face to go with your voice," they began to walk in no particular direction. "So how did you get out before all those times?"

Rinoa stopped her by the hand and pressed her hands on her heart to demonstrate that she follow. Tifa copied her. "Just close your eyes and follow"

"Follow what?" the baffled brunette asked as she closed her eyes obediently.

"The light of your love and hope in your heart"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The horizon of the town's buildings soon greeted Leon's eyes as he ran closer. His chest heaving and ready to shatter in disappointment if the worst would happen when he got there. Townspeople looked up with confused expressions as Leon ran past them with a lost and painful look in his eyes. His eyes were full of angst, full of fear and a small speck of hope that should've died long ago.

His body halted harshly like screeching tires upon the doorstep of Merlin's home. Almost on cue Yuffie walked out onto the steps and without thinking Leon desperately clutched her fragile shoulders in his hands. Her eyes widened in surprise at his outburst.

He wheezed and shook in front of her. She had never seen him this way. He was either distant or just pieced together perfectly around others. She never pictured the day that Leon would fall apart.

"W-where- wha-" Leon struggled for words like a babbling toddler. His lips couldn't form any sensible sentence and his disarrayed mind made it no better.

Yuffie pointed toward the Market Place, "She's waiting in the Market Place Leon"

Without waiting for her to finish he let her go and darted off again. Gray concrete slabs blurring past him with his running speed. Once entering the Market Place, a mob of people were beginning to emerge from their shops, curious of the commotion that must've awaited him in its core.

Finally he stopped at the bottom of the steps in the center of the Market Place. Panting to catch his breath he turned his head to the left and it was then that his heart stopped. The blood in his veins froze and the muscles in his body stiffened.

If it weren't for her voice, he would've thought he died.

"Squall Leonhart…"

**----------------------------------------------------------------------**

**OMG I never wrote a chap this long before. I actually wanted to write more but I stopped myself because then who knows how long this would've been. I really hope it wasn't confusing and there will be more on how Tifa and Rinoa made it out along with Axel and Cloud's situation and what happened to them in the next chap. I played FF VIII a long time ago and only once so forgive me if I made any mistakes of any kind. Feel free to correct me. Hope this chap turned out okay, I wasn't too sure about the method I used but hey, you don't know until you try.**


	16. Chapter 15: Reunions

**Emotional chapter, good and bad…**

**Important note – I've made a minor mistake that I should be ashamed of that I didn't realize sooner, the buster sword is really Zack's sword and in Advent Children, Cloud left it as kind of a memorial spot for Zack and got a new sword of his own. His new cool sword is called First Tsurugi, courtesy of Xeno the Hedgehog, thanks for pointing that out. I'm not sure if I'll go back into my chaps just to fix that so I posted this note to give you guys a heads up on that even though I may or may not fix that. **

**----------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 15**

"Squall Leonhart…"

Even at the sound of his real name coming from her lips, his body did not move. His eyes watched the figure standing before him but his heart was in denial.

The brunette woman looked just like her. Her black coffee strands of hair had grown and spilled over her shoulders, glistening in the sunlight. The garments clothing her were similar to her old ones except somehow they were transformed into a flowing blue dress dancing around her knees loosely. His ring that she had asked Zell long ago to make a duplicate of, stood hanging on the chain around her neck.

Leon's blue eyes stared at her dumbfounded and wide as ever. Fists trembled uncontrollably as he battled the things in his heart and mind along with sense and logic. He wasn't sure if he was breathing, if he was dreaming. He was like a statue frozen in time, as he stood there motionless glaring at Rinoa in front of him.

This time in the same gentle voice but slightly breaking, she raised her hands to her lips to stop the quivering as she said it again, "Squall, it's me"

It was then that his hand unconsciously released his gunblade and it hit the concrete floor with a loud clatter. Somehow his feet were beginning to stagger toward her drunkenly. Even though it made his heart rip he let himself whisper a name he had long covered in cobwebs inside his empty ribcage.

"Rinoa…"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rinoa quickly grabbed Tifa's hand as they ran through endless black ink. Still closing their eyes they ran aimlessly. "I can feel it Tifa. Somehow it feels so strong, like the light we're both seeking is in the same place"

"Yeah, I feel it too," Tifa responded as she linked her fingers with Rinoa's in front of her.

_Cloud, I'm coming to apologize. Axel…_

The image of his jester-like grin playing along his young features flashed through her mind. Tifa smiled as they ran.

_You were right Axel, You've managed to burn yourself into my memory perfectly._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two men leaped across roofs in a matter of seconds, faster than the speed of light as they cut through floods of Dusks entangling around them. Saix's laughter rung through the air. Finally making their way outside of town the two men paused again, back to back and positioned in defense.

"There's too many of them. What the hell did you do?" questioned a frustrated Cloud as he continued to slash his sword mercilessly.

"Oh nothing at all really. Let's just say they're just angry because I didn't want to hang out with them anymore," Axel slyly replied as his chakrams simmered in his hands. He was panting hard, still getting weaker and tired as time wore on.

"Getting tired Nobody?" Cloud noticed the slumping shoulders and heaving chest of the man behind him.

"I have a name ya know! It's Axel so get it memorized already!" He spun his head around just to lash out on him but before Cloud could react to it, they split apart to dodge an incoming attack.

"I have no choice, stay out of the way," warned Cloud in a yell towards Axel. Axel's eyes widened as he watched Cloud's furious Mako filled gaze encourage him to raise his large sword up into the air. Axel quickly jumped out of the way without further question.

Just then Cloud's sword came rushing down, "Blade Beam!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Leon staggered toward Rinoa, he stopped in front of her, unsure if he wanted to keep going. With all the things he had planned to say to her, planned to do when he reunited with her after all these years, it was all gone within that moment. He was speechless and didn't have a clue what to do. He was no longer the calm collected head of the Restoration Committee, he was a babbling, staggering fool.

Somehow his arms pried open slowly and cautiously, eyes still wide and watching her every movement as she slowly advanced towards him.

"Are you-" Before he could question any further if she was real or not, her warmth was enveloped in his open arms as she rushed into his embrace. Her arms wrapped around his back and she held tightly, cries muffled into his shirt. Warily he let his arms relax and rest around her. He leaned his head into her hair. Fingers shaking and eyes burning, she smelled just like her, felt just like her in his arms just like he remembered.

With a weak and raspy voice he spoke into her hair, "Are you real?"

She lifted her tear streaked smiling face to look up at him and nodded. Her palm rose to brush against his cheek and then down to trace on the scar across his face. He closed his eyes briefly from the contact as a single tear fell from his eyes. Leon brought his fingers to lift the ring dangling on her neck and as he felt the cool metal at his fingertips, all the emotions he had hid away had finally hit him.

Leon dropped to his knees just then, helplessly hugging Rinoa at her waist as he buried his face into her abdomen. Surprised gasps and whispers were heard around them from the surrounding towns people including Yuffie, Aerith, Cid and Merlin who had come out to watch the reunion. Yuffie squeaked in happiness trying to control tears and Aerith patted her on the back consolingly.

No one had ever seen him this way. This must've been the real Leon that he hid away deep within himself. No one had ever seen this man break a tear or even shake with any emotion of any sort other than anger. Leon was always in control of things, always leading others and on top of things. Now he was on his knees, naked of pride and hugging this woman as a lost child would do to its mother.

"H-how did you get here?" Leon's quivering voice muffled into the material of her soft dress as he held her to him and she stroked the long strands of hair on his head lovingly. He felt her tears falling onto his head from above him but he didn't care.

"Well I had a little help from someone," Rinoa smiled recollecting all that happened in the realm with Tifa.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The two running women tightened their grips on each other as they neared the source of the light they so eagerly followed through the realm.

"We're almost there!" Rinoa yelled in excitement and they quickened their pace until the darkness beneath their eyelids began to lighten.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Axel's jaw dropped as he watched a beam of light shoot from Cloud's sword into the ground towards the numerous Dusks coiling in front of them. The Beam of light split into three as the Dusks evaporated and were defeated, vanishing into their demise. Axel was stunned, Cloud was able to clear a little over a hundred of them with that move.

"Wow, didn't think you had that in you" Axel commented over at Cloud after seeing the damage done.

"Hmmph, this is nothing" To Axel's surprise it seemed that Cloud had an arrogant flashy side of his own when he willed it. Just as Axel was beginning to think he wasn't such a stiff after all, Cloud returned to his solemn self. "Something's coming"

Axel nodded in agreement as he clung onto his weapons ready for anything, "Yeah I sense it too"

Their gazes rose to stare up into an opening black warp appearing nearby them. The realm was opening and even Saix emerged from leading in the shadows to turn his attention to the realm.

Their worried gaze changed to relief as they saw two women emerge hand in hand from the realm of darkness. Their eyes were closed and they panted as if they had been running for quite some time.

"Tifa!" Axel yelled out before Cloud could. Cloud kept his attention on the confused Saix lingering above them as he watched the scene. With the call of her name, her eyes shot open with a relieved smile. She was still in the shirt and shorts she was wearing the night before. The other woman opened her eyes as well, observing the new world around her that held a strange familiarity to it.

Just as Tifa thought Axel was running to her, he ran right past her, towards the entrance into the realm of darkness. Before she could question his motives he turned back to yell at Cloud, "Take her with you. It's me he wants"

"W-what? But-" Tifa protested as Cloud advanced towards her and the other woman.

"Understood," Tifa was about to run towards Axel until she felt Cloud's arm block her way across her chest. "What happened the last time you didn't listen to him?"

Tifa looked around helplessly and Axel gave her a wink before making his chakram vanish and turning toward the entrance. He was stopped by Cloud's voice.

"Axel…" He had called him by his name. Axel turned his face just enough to show the curve of his jaw as he listened.

"Make sure you come back or you'll have to deal with me. The only one that could make her cry is me," a smirk formed on Cloud's face.

Tifa became even more puzzled as she watched the exchange between the two men she loved. These two men had such resentment and hatred between them and from that it transformed into a mutual trust lead only by the common emotion they had for her. Axel was leaving to keep her from harm and trusting her in Cloud's hands because no matter what, Cloud would always protect her. Cloud was allowing Axel to leave because he knew that unlike him, Axel would return to her no matter the obstacles.

"Am I in the right world here?" Tifa said to no one in particular.

Axel laughed loudly as he ran into the realm of darkness. With a wave he responded to Cloud, "You got that right!" and then he vanished into the pit that Tifa and Rinoa had just escaped.

Saix cringed in disgust as Axel disappeared. With a whip of his hand, more Dusks emerged from the ground and into the entrance after Axel. He looked down upon the three humans standing below him, "Foolish humans, I will deal with you later" and with that he followed into the realm before it closed.

Tifa's beating fists on Cloud's chest caused him to sheath his sword onto his back wordlessly. "How could you just let him go like that? Does it make you happy that he's walking straight into his death?"

Cloud brought his hands to hold her shoulders, "It's not a matter of how I feel towards him. He chose to leave for your sake and I would've done the same. He came to me for that reason, to do what I've always done. To protect you and he's just doing his own part"

Tifa looked up into Cloud's cerulean eyes, once full of rage and regret, now full of understanding. Her fists rested on his chest and without another thought she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. Cloud's eyes widened in surprise as he stood stiffly in her arms.

"Cloud…I'm sorry, for everything" she whispered into the black material against his firm chest. It was such a relief to feel the warmth of this safe havened embrace as he slid his arms around her in response. Rinoa smiled as she watched the two make up for their past mistakes in that moment. Maybe being in the realm wasn't completely a misshapen. Being in the realm allowed people to really be grateful for the things that lied outside of it.

Rinoa hated to interrupt but she had been standing there mute and feeble for a while now. Watching the reunion of Tifa with her childhood friend only fueled the desire in her more to find the one she loved. "Umm, so what world is this exactly?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally Leon lifted himself from his knees and cupped Rinoa's slender face into his large masculine hands. She leaned into his warmth as she reached up and did the same to him, gazes locked. Her fingers stroked his strands of now longer hair from when they were last together, glassy eyes searching as they stared deeply into one another.

"I've searched for you so long," she whispered onto his face as he leaned his forehead on hers.

He winced as tears bubbled against his lashes, trying his hardest to contain himself with all the pain he had hidden for so long. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't save anyone. I couldn't protect you" He shook his head regretfully until he felt her thumbs wipe the tears at the brink of his eyes.

"It's not your fault Squall. Everything happens for a reason," she said shooting a knowing glance over to Tifa who was standing on top of a roof next to Cloud watching the reunion between her new friend and the man that reminded her so much of Cloud. Tifa, now dressed fully in her leather outfit, gave her a quick wave and smile before Rinoa smiled back and brought her attention back to Squall. Squall also shot Tifa a smile.

Squall pulled Rinoa into him as he wrapped his strong arms around her back, nuzzling his damp cheek against her hair as she settled in his arms. "It's been so long since I last held you this way"

Rinoa laughed, "I know…_Leon_" she emphasized his new nickname he had given himself to hide his true identity from others.

He parted from her surprised and eyes wide before he smiled and laughed too. "I'll explain that later but there was something I wanted to ask you that I never got the chance to…" He looked down at his lover bringing his lips to graze against her earlobe as he whispered. Her lips quivered as she sobbed, now tears of joy from whatever it was that he was whispering to her in secret.

Her small voice jumped and hiccupped, "You really mean that?"

Leon brought his lips to press against her forehead before meeting her eyes again, "I did back then and now I do more than ever. Even though our world wasn't what it used to be and our friends may still be out there wandering, we have to take advantage of having each other now"

Rinoa wiped the tears of happiness from her pale cheeks "Nothing would make me happier".

This made Leon grow the widest smile anyone in the town had ever seen from him. It was a bit startling to see this shell of the man they once saw chasing after people to do their work, was now a carefree emotional man shedding tears in the middle of the town's busiest place. They laughed together as Leon lifted her body in the air, swaying her around in circles as the crowd of townspeople cheered and applauded them. It was almost as if they were dancing like they had all those years ago, swaying to the melodies in the background as they got lost in each other's arms.

"Yeah Leon! Time to take some time off from work!" Yuffie yelled out from the crowd enthusiastically and everyone laughed along with Leon and Rinoa in the midst of them.

Leon set Rinoa back on her feet before leaning in and pressing his lips against hers passionately. Her arms swung around his neck as he held her to him, letting all the emotions he thought he had lost, come back and sweeten his life once again. This encouraged the townspeople to gasp in awe and cheer even louder.

"I wonder what Leon asked her that made her so happy," Yuffie pondered with her finger innocently resting on her pouted lips.

Aerith shook her head and patted Yuffie on the shoulder consolingly once again, "You're so silly Yuffie"

"W-what? I don't get it?" Yuffie furrowed her brows as the heat rushed to her blushing cheeks. She was a bit naïve at some things; after all she was still a young girl.

Aerith turned around, "Come on, let's go get some ice cream" Her comment was met with a bubbling excited thrust of her fist in the air as she frolicked after Aerith heading toward Scrooge's ice cream shop. Aerith shot a glance up at Cloud and Tifa standing on the roof and they both nodded and shared a knowing glance with her.

"I'm happy for her," Tifa commented as she watched the couple below. She clasped her hands behind her back as she swayed her body back and forth on her heels. She almost fell forward in surprise when she felt Cloud's arm encircle around her shoulders and pull her into his embrace.

"I will always be here to protect you. Don't worry about the children at the orphanage. I will make up for all the time I haven't spent with them by going back" His husky voice above her head tickled her hair before he released her without meeting her gaze. She didn't even get the chance to hug him back.

Tifa reached out to touch him as he was walking away but he raised his hand to motion for her to stop. "No regrets Tifa" was all he said before he kept going and jumped down from the ledge of the roof.

Tifa smiled as she finally realized that Cloud was letting her go to find her own happiness, even if that happiness didn't lie with him. He really did love her all those years in his own way and he loved her enough to let her be happy with someone else.

_I'll always love you Cloud…Thank you._

"No regrets," she murmured under her breath before she turned and set towards the darkening sky, cloaking itself into night.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her eyes fluttered open sleepily as she was awakened by a rustling sound nearby her. The cold concrete slabs that her head had rested and fell asleep upon now made her head ache. Pins and needles pricked her arms. The breezes brushed aside the messy strands of hair stuck to her sticky cheek as she looked around for the source of the sound. It wasn't the heartless below her.

Just then a black figure emerged from the shadows, staggering towards her and breathing heavily. She squinted her eyes, unsure if she was fully awake and if the black figure walking toward her was whom she was expecting or someone else. The hood that fell from his messy spikes of fiery hair sent relief to cool the jittering nerves in her body.

She caught his body before he could fall forward from exhaustion and held him up with one arm draped over her shoulders. A look of concern swept over her face as she sat down carefully with him beside her, settling in.

"Axel…I knew you'd come here. Are you alright?" She strung her fingers to place some loose hair behind his ear before he turned to her and smiled feebly, yet still mischievously as always.

"Just fine babe, couldn't be better than this"

His comment was met by a rough punch in his shoulder and he groaned in pain. "This is no time to joke around Axel!"

Axel laughed as he rubbed the shoulder she had punched. "That's what you waited here for? To use me as your punching bag? And what did I tell you about the realm of darkness. You scared the blazes out of me," he teased and scolded her but she didn't seem to be in a playful mood.

She crossed her arms and turned away in offense before feeling his hand pull her chin to him. His lips shut out any words that may have come from her as he pressed them on her, making her will and worries melt by its warmth. She tried to pull away so that she could pry him with questions of concern but the moment her lips pulled from his, his forearm wrapped around her waist pulled her back to him as he dived his lips into hers. Her body arched slightly as he held her so firm against him, his fingers tickling through her dark hair as they sat in the Bailey.

After a few moments they parted breathlessly as his jade eyes intense and sharp studied hers. His warm breath only made her mouth water as it had done the night before as she felt him speak onto her damp lips.

"I can't stay Tifa…" He held her face to his as he awaited her reaction in which he expected not to be a good one.

"What? What do you mean?" Tifa tried to pull away again but he held her face firmly against his. He didn't want his eyes to leave hers. Suddenly she felt a pang of fear send a tremor through her body. Her fingers shook while she gripped his arms on her face.

"There's…another purpose that I need to fulfill" She tried to say something but he hushed her. "I don't want to tell you because then you won't let me go even though I have to. I need to do this in order to put my mind at ease. You'll just have to trust in me"

She quickly clutched onto the black material on his neck, fear gripping her heart. She didn't know why but she felt like this was the last time she was going to see him. She felt like he wasn't coming back after this. She couldn't let that happen. Not after all they had been through, not after all she thought about in the realm. She wouldn't allow herself to be hurt again, not this way.

His eyes showed sympathy for her although his body was void of it. He brushed the bangs from her eyes with his fingers before leaning in to kiss her again, with so much passion, with so much of him in it. Her fingers roughly clutched onto him as he tasted and savored her essence. His lips crossed over to her cheeks, her chin and back to her parted lips as she desperately held his collar in her clenching fists. She refused to let him go but her fingers were unwillingly pried open by his hands once he broke away.

He gave her one last long stare that seemed to last an eternity before he stood up. A determined look was on his face as he opened his palm to open the realm. Tifa stared blankly for a moment, not being able to register what was happening. Almost like it hit her like a rock at her head would, she scrambled up and grabbed onto the back of his shoulders, leaning her head in the middle of his shoulder blades.

"You can't leave me Axel. You said you wouldn't…" her words were muffled in sobs and Axel felt the darkness beginning to throb in her heart. What made it worst was he knew this time he was the cause of it although he had always promised to be her light.

Tightened fists and trembling eyes closed, it took all his will not to turn around and take her in his embrace. It took all the will in him not to just grab her and run away with her, hide away together for the rest of their lives. As much as he wanted to do that, he had known for some time ago that he couldn't. Fate wouldn't allow it and if it did, it wouldn't allow it yet. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he didn't do what he was about to do.

"I'm not leaving you Tifa. Remember, I have your heart and I exist as long as you believe in me" Those were his last lingering words to her before he walked forward into the entrance of darkness. Just as his body was enveloped into it he heard her cry out but he let his ears be deaf to her. He couldn't let her words make him stay as much as he wanted to. If the worst happened, he knew Cloud would still be there to look after her.

"Thank you…Tifa," he whispered as he turned partially. His back still facing her in the realm, she saw the curve of his jaw line as he smiled sadly. Tifa ran towards him but before her hands even got close to the entrance he closed it quickly. She leaped forward only to slide roughly and painfully chest first onto the concrete.

Her tear streaming brown eyes looked up and around frantically. He was gone and there was nothing she could do about it. She shook her head in denial.

"No, no he can't leave. I never- never," she hiccupped her cracking sobs, "got to tell him that I loved him even if he couldn't love me back…"

Her voice was heard screeching towards the moon. The Flurry of Dancing Flames had left her alone without explanation, left her with a burn in her heart that would haunt her for all time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Axel also yelled into the nothingness of the realm to release all that troubled him. After he seemed a bit relieved, he walked forward, "Sorry Cloud, but I couldn't stay true to my word"

With that the black figure vanished into the kaleidoscope walls in search for the one person he needed to speak to most. The one person that also held the key to his existence.

He needed to find Sora.

**-----------------------------------------------------------------**

**I know I know, you guys are ready to kill me! Don't worry, my stories are never known to have disappointing endings and I did tell some people that I was pondering alternate endings. Right now I could think of like 3-4 endings for this story but I'll only do 2. Maybe I'll include the extra on my Live Journal. Yes so this story will be coming to an end within the next 2-3 chapters. :tears and sobs: **

**Also what's with all the Rinoa haters? Is she that bad Lol? I like her.**


	17. Chapter 16: Decisions of the Heart

**I apologize for taking so long! The charger to my laptop broke so I had to wait a week for them to send me a new one and the chap that I had halfway done couldn't be finished because my computer was dead. I realized how much I missed my precious laptop all those days. :sob: Anyway wow now I have over 200 reviews! That's a first for me and I'd like to take the time to thank each and every person for reviewing and supporting my story. You guys rock. Anyway this chap will be the last before I write the endings to this story so enjoy.**

**------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 16**

Although her voice had cracked and stretched beyond her limits in that one scream, it was as if it was only a whisper that only the ears of dogs could hear. No one would come to her aid. Nothing was going to bring him back. Crying would solve nothing and Tifa knew this well. That's why after a few tears she stopped, closing her eyes and nuzzling her sticky face into her huddled knees. As the nighttime breeze cooled off her damp cheeks she thought back on all the things that had changed in her life.

She thought of the endless nights she spent wandering in the Bailey alone, thinking of the only man she had loved that never quite loved her just the same in return. As darkness throbbed in her heart, she never knew that around those dark corners was the very man created from darkness that would bring her out to the light.

She smiled as she thought of how they started out. In a bitter fight of misunderstandings to making up through Sea-Salt Ice cream. Then the countless nights meeting up with the dark stranger to spill out her life to him in words or sometimes say nothing at all.

Although he had no heart or recollection of his past life and emotions, he always listened. The way he held her hand so protectively through the realm and took her to new worlds beyond imagination and as she marveled in the sand, he watched her as if she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She had never been looked at that way until then.

Somehow, strangely enough it led them to a bond she never thought was possible. She had a heart, and a lifetime of tribulations and tear stained memories. He had no heart, no memories except for the ones when he was born into the organization and could not shed a tear even if he wanted to. Still he took all he had, all he existed with to understand her loneliness, her loss, and the gap in her heart that was always empty. He fulfilled it.

Through loss, through darkness and through the common emptiness of not having a purpose, fate had led them to one another. Despite the objections, despite the obstacles and even more tears, they managed to hold on and make it through.

She shivered at the thought of what his lips felt like along her skin. On her lips, her bare shoulders and even her fingers. He had kissed her, held her and cherished her piece by piece and indulged only to give her a night that would forever be engraved into her memory. If only she could've spent just a bit more time with him. Just one more night of lovemaking and strokes through her hair. One more night of diligent conversation and sparring for fun. One more night of his hand on hers through the realm as he led her beyond where her feet would go. She wouldn't ask for more.

Fate pitied her enough to lead this man's curiosity to her. Fate hated her enough to take him away. Still, everything happens for a reason.

There was so much to leave behind. The man she had known all her life that had finally learned to return some of the love she had always showered him in. The bar that she worked so hard to establish and keep things running. The motherless children at the orphanage whose lives she worked to protect, just as a mother should. The family that was finally beginning to form for a while when she'd read the children a story and they'd tug her leg asking when Cloud was coming home, just as they'd ask if he were their father. He'd put them to sleep, with some trouble, and go upstairs to be offered the arms of the woman who cared for him most. All their friends and all their good memories, there was so much to leave behind.

Still, she couldn't help but wish that she could be selfish. All her life she had loved others, fought for others, protected others and always put herself last in hopes that it would all be returned to her.

The gray jagged stones beneath her rear were cold. The air was damp. The sounds of the heartless below her were bothersome. After about an hour of recovery and reminiscence her legs somehow found a way to stagger up. She took one last look at the Bailey before she walked away. Where she met him, where she kissed him and where he left her.

Eyes now set on the horizon of the town she had no choice but to head back to the Inn. There was nothing that could be done except to wait. If he didn't come back she'd have to live on. He would want her to.

Her heart throbbed but it was easier to control her own darkness now. The image of his smile breathing on her lips always shed some light in her heart. She would go back to the Inn and hibernate the night away underneath the bed sheets.

He was gone and what was worse, it would be like he never existed at all. That's what Nobodies are, ghosts and dreams. It only hurt that she had to wake up from this one.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Tifa …you can't expect that of me"

She looked up into the cerulean eyes glaring down at her as she sat on the edge of her bed, already barefoot and ready to sleep. She didn't blame him really. It was awkward. Still he was her childhood friend wasn't he? After all she had given to him, couldn't he grant her this one favor?

Her thin trembling fingers tugs onto his as she looked up at him. Her eyes red and cheeks still damp. She was so vulnerable. How could he deny her? She didn't ask for much and as much as his pride would never let him admit it, he too was glad she was asking this of him, as shameful as he must feel for it.

He stood stiff for a long moment as she pleaded him with her eyes. She didn't tell him much. The Innkeeper just told him that she wanted to see him and it was urgent. This was something he wasn't expecting. He could so easily see the need written all over her. Finally he nodded, giving into defeat. He at least owed her this.

"Thank you Cloud" He just nodded as he began removing the large sword on his back and his shoes.

Tifa shifted over into the sheets, curling in to face the wall. She could sense his tense figure hesitating to approach her but soon enough he did. She felt his heat carefully climb in beside her as her body relaxed at the feel of his arms draping around her body. Already she could feel the burn in her eyes.

Trying to prevent her voice from quivering she whispered, "Closer…please"

He said nothing as he obeyed. His grip on her tightened and she almost sighed in relief. Just as her eyelids were about to heave down she whispered to Cloud behind her, "I'm sorry, for asking this of you"

She felt his chin rest of the top of her head and he nodded with a deep hum signaling that he was responding. She couldn't sleep alone. Not tonight.

The warmth of his embrace protected her thankfully through harmless dreams.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cloud opened the door to her room with a gentle knock before entering. Of course he hadn't expected that she would respond anyway, it was just a habit. Closing the door with his foot and holding a hot tray in each hand he looked across the room. She was still in the same spot he had left her in. He wasn't even sure if she noticed him coming back in.

She stared out the window, hands folded onto her knees as she seemed to be focused on something. Cloud placed the two trays onto the table before walking over to the window. Outside he saw what had caught her eye. Leon and Rinoa laughing as they passed down the streets. Strange seeing that man smile so much…

He placed a firm hand on her shoulder in which abruptly woke her from her daze. She gasped and then tilted her head and smiled. She jumped up from the chair with her hands behind her back she cheerfully walked to the table.

"Pancakes mmm my favorite, and I thought you forgot," Tifa teased Cloud behind her as she sniffed in the sweet maple and buttermilk aromas from her steaming plate. Wasting no time she settled in the wooden chair tucked in the round table. Cloud did the same without a word.

As she stuffed the soft sweet foamy pieces into her mouth cheerfully, Cloud solemnly observed her every movement. The scraping of metal utensils against her plate and the cheerful mumbling in her mouth didn't seem to bother him. Instead he stared at her, not bothering to even lift a fork to his plate once.

He waited for the right moment to say what was on his mind but either way it was awkward. He knew she sensed it too but was doing a wonderful job hiding it as she had done with so many of her emotions in the past. Except this time he put more of his effort into noticing these things.

Cloud bent his head to stare at his plate, still full with untouched breakfast. As he wondered how to even start a conversation with this woman she abruptly lifted up from her seat and leaned across the table. He looked up to see her reach out for the syrup bottle and she raised it up over his plate.

Cheeks puffed and mouth full she sung sweetly yet gently all of a sudden, "Here, let me help you"

Cloud reached up to wrap a firm grip around her wrist. To his surprise it was shaking. His eyes rose to meet hers but she suddenly turned away, attempting to settle back in her seat. He held her wrist so that she couldn't.

"Tifa…" he called onto her. He would give anything for her to show the sides of her she had hid so well for so long. She rarely showed her sadness to him nor her tears but now that he knew all that she was hiding, he would rather have that than what she was doing now. She was smiling, bustling about happily and not a second of it was genuine. He could see the worry aging under her eyes already.

She didn't bother to meet his gaze and suddenly realizing his rather forceful grip on her wrist his fingers snapped open to release her as if he had been burned. She sat back slowly, shifting in her chair pretending to get comfortable. All that was left on her plate was crumbs and pools of syrup.

"Tifa…"

"Hmm?" She finally managed to look up at him. He saw it. The fear in her eyes if he brought up the subject she was deliberately avoiding the existence of.

What happened with Axel? Was he coming back or did he leave off on a suicide mission? What was she going to do if he did come back? Was she going to stay with him? If he didn't come back was she just going to unhappily tag along with him and return to the orphanage? Although he knew the children would never make her feel unhappy, didn't he make her feel unhappy?

He didn't want to deal with this artificial Tifa for the rest of his life now that he had seen the side of her that she had always hid from him. All he ever wanted was for her to live for herself and be happy. It may have been a mistake for him to chase his darkness into this world knowing that Tifa had jumped in after him. Too late to regret. Still nothing to say.

"Here, I know you want them," Cloud pushed his plate of soggy but still warm pancakes across the table in front of her.

Right away he regretted what he said. Of course he wanted to say anything other than the wrong thing at such a fragile moment but somehow his innocent gesture triggered something in her. Her smile had lost its veil and become real, except filled with a slight sadness. He didn't want to pity her. She was such a strong woman at body and in heart. She was not one to be pitied and he didn't want her to think that.

As she humbly met his eyes smiling at him gratefully he rose his hand to hold her chin. He didn't mean to and he didn't know what came over him but it just happened on its own. Even during the nights they did spend under the covers in each other's arms, it was rare for him to show such affection or even emotion openly.

He wanted to pull away but it was too late. It was amazing how with all that he had gone through with this woman, it took the possibility of her leaving to make him really truly be grateful for her. She had always watched him, worried about him, waited for him and supported him. It was about time that he returned the favor.

Caressing her cheek before quickly pulling away he lowered his head in regret as he spoke to her. His voice was low and serious, almost like an old man telling a legend from a long time ago.

"When I first found out about him, I thought about all the things that were wrong with it. All the dangers in this being besides the fact that he wasn't human and he was involved with the Organization. He had no heart. He wouldn't be able to bear children with you. No one knows how long a Nobody's life span is and if they even age at all…"

Tifa stood motionless as she rested her chin on her palm, listening intently as Cloud poured out whatever was on his mind.

"After struggling in my mind I finally realized that I was no better. I had a heart but never fully gave it to you. I never granted you the promise of children and I always kept you wondering if I would come back alive or come back at all"

"Cloud, you're never ever going to change are you?" smiling and commenting on his stubborn ways of always thinking so negative on everything.

There was a long stretched pause that made Tifa suddenly feel strange. She sat back stiffly against the chair and awaited for him to say something. Just as she thought he had gone mute he opened his lips to say more.

"Tifa, if something happens I just want you to know that I will give you all that you expected from me"

"Expected from you? What do you-"

"A child Tifa, a family…"

Her mouth transformed into a stunned "o". This man barely cracked a smile and here he was telling her he wanted to bear children with her. As much as she had desired this for years along with so many desires, now it came to her as a shock.

Leaving her puzzled Cloud stood up from his chair, turning her back to her as he walked toward the door. He reached for the knob before speaking again, "There's still a life waiting for you in our world if you will it. I will do everything in my power this time not to repeat the mistakes I have made"

With that Cloud left the room. She knew it probably wasn't easy for him to say all that he said. He probably left to save what was left of his pride. It was such a surprise to see how much he had changed because of her. Even though he had finally let her go to make her own decisions, he was also now giving her the option to be with him if she decided that as well. Unlike all the other times in the past, the tone of his voice told her this time he would be true to his word. That was a comforting as well as scary feeling.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The blazing sun didn't help ease the tension she felt. She thought a walk would clear her mind and all it did was make her skin hot and sticky. Usually a time like this would call for a pop of Sea-Salt ice cream but she wasn't in the mood for it.

The back of her palm wiped the excess sweat dotting along her forehead as she headed toward the Market Place. No doubt the place would be crowded with bustling shoppers. Maybe she needed to get lost in the crowd.

So many additional thoughts suffocated her. She knew Cloud didn't have the intent to confuse her more but she couldn't help but dwell on the words he said to her before he left. She loved Cloud and she already knew she always would have a place for him in her heart…however after all the years of dreaming of unrealistic fantasies that he never granted now all of a sudden he wanted all the things she did. If it 'd been two months ago she would've been thrilled, crying tears of joy. Now here she was, giving a second thought to the things she had wanted for so long. That is until she met him.

Axel… the name burned the tip of her tongue even though she barely whispered it. Cloud was right in so many ways even though he admitted defeat in the things he said. He was still right. Sure he didn't have a heart and that wasn't a problem but the other things Cloud said made her wonder. Would she have to give up her hopes on a child if she gave herself to a Nobody? Would Axel age with her or always look the same as she aged alone? Would her old age effect the way he felt for her if he kept the same face? How long was he guaranteed to live if he did come back?

Then the major question, was he even coming back? He never told her what this other purpose was. She thought she was his only purpose now. I guess there was some things he thought were better left unsaid. What bothered her the most is that he never felt that it was necessary to keep things from her in the first place so the only reason why he would keep this to himself is because he must've knew she would've stopped him from going. She only would've stopped him from going if it was life threatening. Putting all the pieces together, she already knew all the answers. She just didn't want to admit them.

It made her heart ache to even let the thought of him dying pass through her mind. She couldn't let him die and if he did, how would she know? She wasn't with him. She felt so helpless.

Dragging her hands by her sides she spotted a familiar couple leaning against the stone ledge lost in their chatter. Leon left Rinoa with a kiss in her hair before he walked away, mumbling something about work. Tifa sighed. That man would never change.

It pained her as well as made her happy watching the two of them. It was bittersweet. She was happy that she helped Rinoa reunite with her lost love and at the same time, deep within her she couldn't help but feel a little jealous that Rinoa had Leon and Axel was gone.

Rinoa greeted Tifa with a hug before she patted a spot on the ledge next to her. Tifa hopped onto the ledge and sat beside her newfound friend. Tifa swung her legs carelessly, unable to come up with the words to begin a conversation. The last thing she wanted to hear about was how happy Rinoa was with Leon. After seeing that Tifa had nothing to say, it seemed Rinoa saw right through her.

"He's gone isn't he?" Those words pierced through her as Tifa turned to Rinoa wide eyed.

"H-how did you know?"

"I can see it in your eyes. We're not too different when it comes to love. I once lost mines too remember?"

"Hmm, I see…" Tifa didn't know how to respond. Since Rinoa was doing such a great job reading her she was sure the silence was understandable to her as well. She probably knew exactly what was running through her mind.

"I think…you should follow your heart"

Tifa turned her attention back to Rinoa and although she didn't ask for the advice it seemed she read her well enough to know that she needed the advice either way.

"What does your heart tell you?"

Tifa's brows furrowed in thought for a second before responding, "It tells me a lot of things. That's the problem. I don't know what to listen to"

"Well what does it tell you on impulse? Not even thinking too much about it, what's the first thing that comes to mind?"

As Tifa continued to daze out in thought a young boy with brown spiky hair caught her attention in the crowd. There he was squeezing through the crowds with Donald and Goofy trailing behind him. By the expression on Donald's face he was obviously frustrated with the sardine can crowd and Goofy was just jolly as usual.

"Sora!"

Her heart jumped out of her chest at the sight of him. She gasped and jumped off the ledge without another word of response to Rinoa. With a quick wave back to Rinoa she darted into the crowd before disappearing.

"Sora?" Rinoa wondered. Shrugging her shoulders she got off the ledge, "Well that was easy. Good luck Tifa" With a smile she headed to Merlin's house with thoughts of writing Leon a letter while he was away.

Tifa squeezed through, around and about all the passing people. Reaching her hands out in front of her in the direction of the young boy, it seemed her calls weren't reaching him. What luck she had that he would stop in this world to pick up supplies out of all the worlds he could've gone to. Maybe fate didn't hate her after all.

As Sora headed outside of town, Tifa followed closely, trying not to make her presence known. If she did then he might not let her accompany them. She had to sneak on their ship without them realizing it. She needed to go through the realm and through other worlds to find Axel. She couldn't do it alone and Sora's ship was the fastest and easiest way to do it. She just knew in her gut that this was the right way to go.

She successfully infiltrated behind them before they entered something in which they referred to as a Gummi Ship. She tried to make out their conversation but all that she could get from it was something about an alternate town and the password.

The large steel door closed as Tifa ducked into the closest corner piled up with boxes that would conceal her. On her knees she peeked through the boxes to watch the three friends as they started the ship. The rumbling beneath her feet signaled they were taking off.

Her hands shook with excitement. Cloud was going to kill her when he found out and so was Axel, that is if she found him.

Her brown eyes marveled at the blackening sky stroked with stars and colors. It was beautiful. Before she could stay fascinated for long the ship began to twist and turn rather roughly. Tifa clung onto the steel walls for support.

"Fasten your seat belts guys. We're in for a bumpy ride," yelled Sora to Donald and Goofy and they nodded in agreement. They must've been used to this kind of thing.

After a few moments it became clear, very clear that her stomach was not used to this kind of thing. As the ship twisted and turned, darting through the skies, Tifa began to feel the juices in her stomach twist and turn too. A burn rose to her throat as her palm held her mouth from any accidents that may happen.

With the combination of the ship rumbling and vibrating along with turning in every direction and going too fast, it wasn't too long before her head began to ache. Maybe this was a bad idea after all. The noises of their missiles and excited cheers drowned out her nauseous attempts of hacking up her pancakes. The bitter taste slithered in the back of her tongue as she swallowed, trying her best to contain her self.

Gulping. Turning. Twisting. Upside down. Too fast.

She thought Cid was a reckless driver but give the controls to a rambunctious kid like Sora and it could even make Cloud puke shamelessly.

It was too hard. Her eyes watched the monitor as they drove and within another few minutes, she passed out head first into the boxes. Thankfully they were so loud, they still didn't notice her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tifa was rudely awakened with a rough pain jolting through her head. It must've been a result from the rough ride. Shaking her head and groaning, she almost forgot where she was. Cautious once again she observed her surroundings while rubbing her head. It seemed they had left already.

Realizing it was safe to come out from hiding, Tifa stood up, brushing her sides with her hands. The only life that seemed to be in the ship was too small chipmunks fast asleep near the control panel. The monitor read "Destination Arrival Success: Twilight Town".

It only took a brief second to feel it but it was strong enough to make her grasp her chest. Fingers clenching the material on her chest she closed her eyes in concentration. She remembered Rinoa's words when they were lost in the realm. She needed to follow the light and then she would find him.

He was here. She could feel it. Somehow she knew he was in this world. It was a vague presence tugging at her but she knew if she tried hard enough, she'd find him. She refused to give up now after getting this far.

She darted out of the ship still pressing her palm to her beating heart. As it throbbed continuously she felt her legs shiver with excitement.

_Axel, I'm coming. Whether you get mad at me or not, you can't leave me behind._

Eyes closed and hands in front of her, she ran towards the direction of the light, his light.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crowds of coiling dusks surrounded the Pyro standing back to back with the keyblade wielder. He wanted to find him but not like this. As usual Saix couldn't help but harass him and now here he was, stuck in the realm, exhausted and in a pretty pissy mood. Well it wasn't like he didn't expect it to be this way.

While Saix was on his merry way to Kairi, Axel was left with the mob of Nobodies to follow him every step of the way. He hadn't stopped since he left Radiant Garden. Truthfully he hadn't stopped since Saix first attacked him and Tifa in the realm and he had no idea where all his endurance came from.

Maybe it came from his determination to live. He needed to see Sora. He needed to tell him about Kairi. If he couldn't see Roxas, then he would have to settle with Sora. It didn't bother him too much knowing that somewhere inside Sora, Roxas was happier than what he was.

At least he was happy. Now he had all the emotions he wanted to experience at his disposal. Lucky kid.

Axel let out another yell as he sliced through another mob of Dusks. Wheezing and panting, he aligned himself back with Sora. There were too many of them. They wouldn't make it out alive at this rate. Sora could probably use one of his finishing moves but he needed to save his strength for The World That Never Was. He needed to save his strength to find Kairi and defeat Xemnas. That's when Axel knew he was running out of options.

If he had a heart, this would be the time he would feel pain in knowing he was about to commit suicide. He would've liked to live longer but if there was any chance of Sora saving Kairi, he would have to do this. He owed him that for kidnapping her in the first place. It was his fault Saix got a hold of her and for that he would repay Sora with his life.

Since he didn't have a heart, it was easy not to hesitate. No fear. No pain. No regret.

Axel smiled as he thought of the one thing that made his death easier. At least he was fortunate enough to have a taste of love.

_Tifa…I'm sorry._

Axel was ready. He knew what he had to do and nothing would stop him.

"I think I liked it better when they were in my side"

"Feeling a little…regret" Sora teased Axel.

Axel flashed him his famous jester smile, "Nah, I can handle these punks. Watch this!"

Axel failed to realize the additional presence that had just entered the realm. Once he felt her, it was too late. He couldn't let her stop him. Sora would protect her afterwards.

_I always tell that girl not to come into the realm. Hmmph, she never listens. That's why I couldn't get enough of her._

Tifa ran towards the small figures surrounded by Dusks. Her heart throbbed painfully as she realized what was going on. Her screams did not reach them because she was too far from them. She watched as Axel stretched out his arms to execute the opening move and her eyes widened.

She knew that move! He showed it to her on the beach!

"Axel! Noooo!"

**-------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Sorry if the game script was a little boring. I hate putting it in but sometimes I want the story to go along with what really happened. Well it was a pretty long chap and I hope it satisfied everyone. It'll take me a while to write the endings since I have more than one to write and they'll probably be long too. I'll be submitting them all at once. I checked the TOS and the guidelines and it's allowed to have multiple endings as long as they stay as chapters in this story and not as separate entries.**

**Thanks Cassie J for thinking my story is addicting. Personally I think my stories start off kinda weak and get better as I get more into it. That's my opinion though.**


	18. Ending 1: My Little Fire

**Ok this is how it works. Both endings continue from chapter 16. So I encourage you to read both until one satisfies you. I'd appreciate it if ppl review for both as well. Let me know which approach was better. Enjoy AxelxTifa luvahs. Thanks you for making this story such a success. I owe it all to you.**

**The beginning of each ending is a bit similar so please bear with me.**

**--------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Ending #1**

Her screams came out from her mouth muted and strained. It did not reach him. Her feet stopped dead in their tracks as she shielded her eyes from the resonating explosion. Dust and smoke clouded the air around her. Coughing and wheezing she managed to squint through the clearing smoke.

The Dusks, they were gone.

Slowly, she felt it. Axel's presence was fading. Her eyes still couldn't locate him through the smoke. She only heard bits and pieces of a conversation.

Teary eyed and darkness throbbing, she reached out in front of her blindly, trying desperately to follow the voices.

_Please, Axel, don't leave me. Please…_

The voices were getting closer. His sweet sweet voice was heard in barely a whisper, weak and fading as he spoke. It broke her heart as she listened.

"You're fading away"

"Well, that's what happens when you put your whole being into an attack, you know I what mean? Not that Nobodies actually have beings…right?"

_No, Axel. Stop it. Stop it!_

She covered her ears as the smoke cleared away and she saw the two figures in front of her, still so far away. She wanted to run to them. She wanted to yell but her legs were weak and her voice was caught in her throat.

"Anyway I digress. Go find Kari. Oh I almost forgot…sorry for what I did to her"

His other purpose. That's what it was. That was why he left her. He couldn't bear the thought of not atoning for his sins to Sora. He wanted to apologize to Sora and help him find Kairi. He wanted to…see Roxas.

"When we find her, you can tell her yourself," Sora stood on his knees besides the fading black figure lying feebly on the ground.

"Think I'll pass. My heart just wouldn't be in it, you know? Haven't got one?" Axel managed a weak laugh even in his current state.

_Damn you Axel, you and your stupid humor! This is no time to joke! No time to…_

"Axel what were you trying to do?"

Hot tears bubbled across her eyes, nails digging into her knees. He was so far. Her voice would not let her call out to him. Her throat hurt. Her chest hurt. Her whole body hurt. Every incoming breath was heavy and every exhale only throbbed the pain in her chest more.

"I wanted to see Roxas. He…was the only one I liked…He made me feel like I had a heart. It's kind of funny, you make me feel the same-"

_Please Axel, stop talking. No more. No more…your voice, it hurts. It sounds so weak, so tired. You sound so tired. Axel please…you promised not to use it!_

Tifa shook her head in denial as she staggered toward Sora and Axel. Goofy and Donald watching closely and sadly. The expressions on their faces made it worse. It pierced through her painfully, cutting through every strong emotion she thought she had. This couldn't be happening. It was like she was stuck in a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from.

"Kairi's in the castle dungeon! Now go!" Tifa watched as Axel raised his palm weakly to use the last of his energy to open an exit from the realm.

The black portal opened in the middle of the kaleidoscope walls and Sora looked up at it. "Axel…" He lowered his head in regret as he watched Axel disintegrate into black dust before his eyes.

As she saw Axel's dying figure evaporate into nothingness, her heart stopped. Her eyes were wide and tears were streaming out but she couldn't feel them.

Sora shook his head at the spot in which Axel had sacrificed himself. Nodding at his two companions, they knew they could waste no more time for the opportunity given to them by Axel. He died just so that they could make it to Kairi. They couldn't leave his death in vain.

Tifa watched as the group of three emerged through the exit, still unaware of her presence. As they disappeared her feet began to stagger towards it. Her hands rose like a zombie's in front of her, her body swaying side to side drunkenly.

_No, no, no, no! Axel where are you? You can't be gone! You can't-_

"Y-you-cant!" her voice was drowned in her own quivering weaknesses as she walked toward the exit. Finally reaching it, she crashed down to her knees.

She knew she should've been going through the exit before it closed but her will had been broken. She didn't care about escaping the realm. She didn't care about the possibility of being trapped in it. She didn't bother wanted to follow Sora and his company.

Her damp fingers felt the cold glassy floor in which Axel's body once lay. It was cold and not a trace of warmth marked that he was once there.

There wasn't even a dead body to hold in her arms and cradle. She couldn't hold his lifeless body close to her heart as she trailed her fingers through his lively hair. There was nothing. There were no cold lips to press hers against one last time in a final kiss goodbye. His presence was as if it never existed. Her heart could no longer find it.

His voice echoed in her head. _I don't know how you made it out before but don't let go of my hand and get lost._

_That's right. He got mad at me for staying in the realm before. _She opened and closed her hands in front of her, reaching out, as a child would do to their parent.

_Your hand…I need it Axel. I can't move. I can't speak. I can't get up…unless you grab my hand. I'm lost._

The exit was closing in front of her. Her knees were heavy and weighed like stones on the floor. She couldn't breath.

"Axel, give me your hand!" she screeched as her tears continued to scrape down her cheeks. Her bangs stuck to her face and her body slowly shook its way to fetal position. She huddled her knees close to her in need of warmth, in need of him.

Her fingers felt along the floor. Caressing nothingness, her sobs made her vision blurry. The colorful walls began to fade as they had done last time she was trapped. She didn't care. The darkness didn't scare her.

In moments, the air grew heavy and nothing but pitch black pooled around her vulnerable body.

She didn't need to worry about Nobodies. They would all be after Sora.

She fisted the floor angrily.

"Why didn't you ask me for help! I would've fought beside you! Why!" she screeched and cracked her voice at nothing.

He just wanted to see Roxas. He just wanted to repent for his sins against Sora. Damn him, he had no heart so its not like he felt any guilt. Why did he do it?

"You said- you wouldn't leave me. You said- you'd be my f-fire"

Gasping to form her words, it was hard. She began to grow dizzy.

"It's so dark. I need…I need your light just one last time"

Her pleas were submerged into the blackness of her unconsciousness when she passed out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time was eternal in the realm. The darkness was eternal. There was no warmth. There were no corners to turn, no paths to walk upon. Once swallowed into its depths, the chances of leaving were slim.

There were only three options of escaping. Escaping the realm by luck, by becoming the darkness or insanity.

With her body so weak and now being passed out for who knows how long, insanity seemed like the most likely option.

It was a voice that woke her up. A voice caught her attention, just as it had last time.

She blinked slowly, shaking her head and remembering where she was. Her ears picked it up again. It was faint but strong in her heart.

"Tifa…"

It was calling out to her. Her trembling eyes burned once she realized the familiarity of it. Her fingers clamped over her lips, frantically looking around for the source of the voice.

His sweet sweet voice.

"Tifa…get up. You're stronger than this"

Tifa shook her head, "N-no I'm not! I'm not! I need you"

"Tifa, come here" it called out to her. Her eyes looked up into the black ink in front of her. A figure began to form from the darkness. A black slim figure, walking towards her as his solemn green eyes glared down at her.

Tifa wasted no time in standing up. Her knees felt like they'd fold any second and she'd just collapse back on the floor. Only her confused will kept her standing, staring at the figure, waiting.

She stared up at him blankly. She couldn't tell how much time had passed since she had been in the realm. If this was insanity kicking in, she didn't' care. If this was an allusion, a product of her own irrational mind, she'd rather be crazy. If she was able to live this artificial fantasy through her insanity and stay in the realm for all eternity, she'd take it.

His slender arms opened as he stopped in front of her. Tifa rushed into his arms. He was warm. He felt so real. His arms settling around her back felt so real. His fingers stroking her hair gave her all the effects through her body as it usually did. He felt like he always did. If he wasn't real, this allusion couldn't be sweeter.

"Axel-" she sobbed into the black material on his chest and he hushed her, gently running his fingers down her long hair.

"No more tears babe," his husky voice tickled her hair as she nuzzled her head beneath his chin.

"I- I can't. It's dark, you can't be real"

There was a pause before he replied to her, "Fire helps you see in the darkness. There is another light awaiting you still"

Her large brown eyes looked up into his. Her knees almost gave way once she met his gaze but his strong grip around her body kept her standing up against his body. They were so beautiful. Large lively devious emerald eyes painted with a touch of ink below them. They hypnotized her into easing her sobs.

"A-nother light?"

Axel nodded to her. It was then that the image of Cloud's face and his words dawned through her mind.

_There's still a life waiting for you in our world if you will it. I will do everything in my power this time not to repeat the mistakes I have made._

She shook her head up at Axel, triggering her damp eyes to water up again. He hushed her, his fingers on her lips stopping her.

"I- I don't understand. How did you get here? Are you really here?"

"I guess I am a product of the darkness. My existence appears through the calls from your heart. The heart that we share"

Her fingers rose to caress his warm cheek. He closed his eyes briefly at her touch. She gasped as she felt something damp and warm fall down his cheek. A tear. It was a tear.

"Tifa, I love you. I didn't lie. I'll always be in your heart"

Her thumb wiped away his stray tear. She clung onto his back.

"I don't care if you're not real. I wanna stay here with you"

Axel shook his head. Nearing his face to hers, his breathe cooled the dampness on her face.

"You don't belong in the realm. Do me a favor and stop disobeying me. Don't ever come back into the realm by yourself"

"But Axel-"

Her words were cut off by the touch of his lips brushing against hers. Softly at first until she pulled him tighter, he leaned in and held her head to his. Slowly, lovingly, sadly, their lips continued to taste one another's, to cherish one another. His lips were moist against hers this had to be real. After a long moment, Axel pulled away.

Noses touching he smiled at her. She smiled back. His mischievous smile mirrored on her. It couldn't be helped.

"I love you too Axel"

"I know Tifa, I know…" With a last lingering stare into her eyes he brought his fingers to her eyes. Hesitating at first, she allowed his hand to pass over her eyes, making them close. The comfort of his grasp around her body let him have control of her.

She felt his hot breathe whisper into her ear, "Thank you Tifa"

Before she could open her eyes again she felt his lips seal against hers again. She melted into it. Her body holding onto his as her fingers held tightly as if it were her very life slipping from her. Her body felt weak, she felt so tired.

The warmth of his lips on hers was the last thing she felt before everything went blank again. That was the last thing she remembered.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She gasped heavily like she had just emerged from holding her breath under water. Her body jerked forward roughly before a warm body steadied her. Her fingers were still clinging onto something, warm and safe.

It wasn't dark anymore. She slowly began to register the blurry shapes around her as the objects in her room at the Inn. Her fingers wrung the warm black material of the body holding her.

"H-how did I get here?"

"I don't know. I found you collapsed at the Bailey and I brought you here"

"Y-your arms…" she meant his embrace so tightly locked around her as they lay in her bed.

"I'm sorry. You were calling out. Your hands reached out in your sleep…I apologize"

"It's fine," her words trailed off as she nuzzled her face into his chest. She was in so much pain but her eyes were long dry. There were no more tears. She told Axel she wouldn't cry anymore.

"Oh Cloud, it hurts…" she clung onto him as he trailed his hand through her hair.

"I know Tifa. Let me be the light to ease your pain"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two years had passed since they had returned to their own world. The worlds were rid from Xemnas and the grasp of the Organization thanks to Sora and his faithful companions.

Turning off the lights to the bar, it was time for closing. She already told everyone that the bar would be closed from business tomorrow in the event of a birthday celebration. She invited everyone to come.

Her feet led her through the hall into the orphanage. Upon arrival a mob of children bombarded her with pleas and hugs.

"Mom, mom, when is Cloud coming home?" asked Denzel tugging on her sleeve. They all called her mom. She was the mother of every motherless child in the orphanage and Cloud was their father.

A smile spread across her face as she ruffled his hair, "Be patient. He'll should be here any minute".

Almost on cue, the lock to the door jiggled its way opened and Cloud stepped in. The children cheered and ran to crowd the blond man coming in from another day's full of work at his delivery service.

"Mommy, mommy!" A small child hopped out of Cloud's arms and squeezed through the crowds of children towards Tifa. The difference between this child and the rest was that he was the only one that called her mommy. She was his real mother.

His bright green eyes seemed to light up every room he entered. Two small traces of ink were stained beneath his large glistening eyes.

"Did you have fun going to work with daddy?" She took the small child into her arms as she picked him up. His small stubby arms wrapped around her neck as he placed a wet kiss on her cheek. He nodded his head enthusiastically.

It was strange. This child could not be explained. It was a normal pregnancy without any complications. He was as human as human could get. Although at times he seemed vague with his emotions, emotions were there. A heart beat in his chest.

Answers could not be found in Ansem the Wise's study. He was no longer alive to offer any theories. After re-visiting Sora's world with Cloud, Sora told them that Ansem's last wise words to him was that not all the mysteries to the heart could be explained. He was right. This was impossible and yet here he was, this existence in her arms.

Knowing this, Cloud did not show any dire feelings towards the situation. After he said he would change that day in the Inn, he did. He became the constant father figure and protector for all the children including the one that he clearly knew wasn't his own. Yet he loved each and every one as if they were.

After she had found out, she realized this must've been what Axel meant when he said there was a light still waiting for her and that he'd always be with her.

He lived with her every day, in this child's jester-like smile, in his laughter and in the warmth she felt when she held him.

The child caught his mother in a daze and poked her cheek. "Mommy?"

She shook her head, "Oh I'm sorry Roxas. Did I space out for a second?"

He nodded and Tifa ruffled his brown messy locks of hair. She looked back at Cloud still amidst the children around him, tugging at him with questions and asking to play games with them. Cloud smiled at her and she smiled back. The man she had always loved had now become the man that would love her back for the rest of their days.

"Ok, let's go. We gotta polish this place up for tomorrow. It's your birthday"

Little Roxas cheered with his arms in the air and Tifa placed him back on the floor so that he could run back towards Cloud.

One of the children poked Cloud clearly confused, "Birthday? Whose birthday?"

Roxas poked the little girl about a year older than him, "Mines. Got it memorized?" he stuck his tongue out at her before running off again and she chased behind him, giggles echoing all over the room.

Cloud crossed his arms and shook his head at Roxas' deviant behavior. That little boy was going to be a handful.

Tifa laughed loudly as they ran after one another. She sighed.

_Memorized huh? Just as mischievous as his father… my little fire in the darkness._

**---------------------------------------------------------**

**OMG I tried not to cry myself while writing this one. It's a bittersweet ending but I wanted an ending that would make sense with what really happened in the game. I thought it was cute and little Roxas was a nice touch. Ok read on for ending two if you like.**


	19. Ending 2: Into The Darkness

**I was close to making this ending a song fic but I know not everyone likes song fics (I'm not particularly good at them either) and I thought it may bring the characters OOC, therefore killing the ending so I decided to save that experimentation for my own time. **

**Ok I took out the lyrics in case….**

**I thought the Incomplete by Backstreet Boys song was perfect since Axel is a Nobody and he is incomplete without purpose, therefore Tifa. I know I'm a sap. **

**-------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Ending # 2**

A loud fiery explosion made her ears pop, successfully drowning out the sounds of her desperate cries to Axel. Dust and smoke scratched uncomfortably at her eyes. She shielded her mouth with her hands, coughing and trying not to breath in too much smoke.

Pulling into the depths of her voice box she screamed out for him again.

"Axel!" Unfortunately the scream huffed from her lips as weak squeaks.

Axel tried not to wince at the throb of Tifa's darkness inside of him. He knew she was there but he had already decided that this was what he needed to do. As much as he wanted to stay with her, he couldn't live the rest of his life with the thought of letting Kairi slip into Saix's hands and contributing to the destruction of the keyblade wielder. He had to help Sora if only a little too late.

_Forgive me Tifa. It's better this way. Erase your memories of me._

Axel's presence was fading. She could feel his life slipping from her hands. His strong presence burning in her heart was simmering down. As she walked toward the direction he was in, she could make out the low voices in conversation.

_Axel, where are you? Please, don't go, not yet._

As the voices became closer, she could sense the energy he once had in his voice slowly dying out. Always sarcastic and full of smart remarks, it was now slowly and weakly fading in his voice.

"You're fading away," Sora looked regretfully upon the red headed man in front of him, sprawled out on the floor.

"Well, that's what happens when you put your whole being into an attack, you know what I mean? Not that Nobodies actually have beings…right?"

_No, you have a being! You exist because of me! Didn't you say that! You can't die!_

The smoke cleared and she was greeted with the horrific image that her heart so eagerly denied. Her eyes couldn't deny it though. There he was, fading into specks of dust before Sora, before her.

"Anyway I digress. Go find Kari. Oh I almost forgot…sorry for what I did to her"

"When we find her, you can tell her yourself," Sora stood on his knees besides the fading black figure lying feebly on the ground. He didn't want to accept that he was dying. Even though he seemed dangerous at first, at the end of it all, he was a good guy. He had only lost a friend. Sora wanted to be his friend even if he couldn't be the friend he was looking for.

"Think I'll pass. My heart just wouldn't be in it, you know? Haven't got one?" Axel managed a weak laugh even in his current state.

Tifa's eyes burned at his comment. _Yes you do have one. I gave you mine…_

"Axel what were you trying to do?"

Hot tears tugged at her eyes as she continued to stagger towards them. Her presence was oblivious to the others. She knew that Axel knew she was there. She couldn't explain it but she knew.

"I wanted to see Roxas. He…was the only one I liked…He made me feel like I had a heart. It's kind of funny, you make me feel the same-"

_Tifa, as much as you don't believe me right now, you made me feel the same too. _

_No Axel! You can't die! You just can't! Stay with me! You gave me your existence! Don't take it away you liar!_

"Kairi's in the castle dungeon! Now go!" Axel weakly raised him palm to open an exit from the realm. A black warp opened within the colorful walls.

"Axel…" He watched as Axel disintegrated into black dust. A new keyblade appeared in his hands. Sora's eyes widened. It seemed that the weapon was left behind especially from Axel for Sora to use.

"Thank you Axel" Sora nodded respectfully before the spot in which Axel faded before signaling Donald and Goofy to follow him.

There was no more time to waste. Axel's death was not in vain. It was time to save Kairi.

The three friends left into the exit as Tifa watched them helplessly. She stared at her palms blankly as if expecting a miracle to appear in them. She shook her head in denial.

"No, Axel you promised not to use it! You promised!"

No answer. Pain sliced through her heart at the lifeless silence now surrounding her.

"You said you existed as long as I believed in you! I still believe you exist!"

Her pain was mixed with anger. Anger that he left her. Anger that he didn't ask for her help. Anger that he broke his promises to her. Anger that the heart she had given him was now broken.

Nails digging into her sweaty palms she screamed from the top of her lungs.

Screaming didn't do any good. Neither did crying. She looked up at the exit that was closing.

She didn't want to go through it. She didn't care about going through it. She wanted to see Axel. She wanted to punch him in his shoulder for playing such a cruel prank on her, for messing with her emotions.

This wasn't a prank.

Tifa fell to her knees hardly. The pain snapping in her kneecaps had no effect on her now numb body. She was tired of crying. Tired of ending up in love full of despair. She was so tired. She just wanted to curl up and sleep there in the realm, sleep for eternity.

"Come back…please come back" her pleading voice was raspy in her dry throat.

She fisted the floor with her clenching fists, "Axel please, stop this! I know you have to be there, y- you have to be-"

She cut off her own words at the beginning of her lips shaking and the watering in her eyes. She refused to cry. She wouldn't cry. She refused to believe he was gone.

Axel's angry words taunted her in her head. He'd be really pissy if she stayed in the realm, once again not listening to him. As much as she wanted to stay, she knew that staying in the realm would only complicate things. If there were a chance that he didn't come back she would most likely be trapped for eternity without Rinoa's voice to lead her out as it had done before.

No, he had to come back. He would find her. She had to believe.

Without another moment's hesitation she leaped through the exit now almost closed and her body hit the floor harshly, rolling over onto the cold gray slabs.

The hard hit onto the ground knocked the wind out of her. Gasping for breath, it took her a moment to get up as familiar footsteps approached her.

"Tifa?" asked the young boy, keyblade resting on his shoulder. The way the steel was, touches of fiery ink and sharp edges, it looked like Axel's chakram. A small flicker of jealousy made her wish that she could take it and keep it as her own. However she knew Sora needed it more than her and Axel had left it for him for a reason.

Tifa stood up weakly, holding her side painfully. "Sora, oww!" He caught her before she fell forward. He helped her regain her balance.

"What are you doing here? It's dangerous"

Tifa had no answer. What could she say to him? I followed you and snuck on your ship? I fell in love with a Nobody, the enemy of all the worlds? Nothing she could think of was worth saying. She looked away from Sora's eyes trying not to give away the painful emotions hidden in them.

Still it seemed that he saw through her. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Whatever is making your heart dark, the light will heal it in time"

Tifa looked up into the blue lively eyes of the spiky haired boy. He smiled widely at her and she smiled back, eyes moist at their edges.

"Let's get you back to Radiant Garden…"

Before she could protest or even ask how, a light appeared beneath Sora's feet. Wind blowing through his clothing as he closed his eyes in concentration. Holding Axel's keyblade up into the air he aimed as if he saw a lock that no one else could see. He looked almost angelic and magical.

Within seconds an opening into the realm appeared. Tifa's jaw dropped in shock. Now she understood why Axel left him the keyblade, not just to fight with but now he can travel through the realm freely to worlds without a Gummi Ship. Knowing she was there of course he left it so that Sora could send her back to her own world.

_Axel…I didn't wanna go back unless you were with me._

She couldn't help the hot tears that did escape her eyes and strong will as she passed through the realm.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ceiling seemed to spin, as her wary eyes stood wide staring at it. How many times did she count the planks of wood and the corners with cobwebs? Too many. Sprawled out under the warmth of the covers, sleep would not grant her its peace. Sighing heavily she ran her fingers through her long dark locks.

She remembered, what it felt like when it was his fingers. It sent shivers up her spine to remember. She could not be rid of his memories, whether he existed or not, whether he was a dream or not, she could not forget him even if she tried.

It provoked a sad smile upon her lips as she tried to close her eyes and imagine the warmth of his fingers tickling around her ears, across her forehead, down the bridge of her nose before…before she would feel his lips softly graze across hers.

It sent a sting through her heart to almost feel it but almost wasn't enough. Tifa leaned her head to look across the room. There in a dark corner was a sleeping figure, arms crossed and head lolling as he soundlessly slept on a chair. She refused to let him sleep there but he didn't take no for an answer.

_I guess, after all this time he sensed that I needed him. Better late than never Cloud._

She couldn't understand how he managed to make some sort of peace and mutual understanding with Axel before he left. She couldn't understand how he came to terms with himself in accepting that she was in love with someone else. She couldn't understand why he insisted on staying with her for the past few nights and trail behind her wordlessly unless spoken to.

She breathed out a small laugh as she thought about how annoying his presence was at times. Usually she'd be peeved that this man was following her wherever she went and to make it worse, he was quiet the entire time unless she tried to converse with him. Not that she complained because ever since she left the realm a few days ago, she hadn't really felt like talking anyway.

How many days had it been? Almost a week. How many nights had she cried hopelessly at the naked feeling around her body without his arms? Two nights until Cloud came. Did he hear her crying and pitied her enough to accompany her? Possibly.

The night before it was Cloud's strong grip that welcomed her when she jerked awake from nightmares and cold sweat. It was the rocking of his heavy body against hers that finally let her sleep. Of course after she fell asleep he wordlessly went back to his chair and hasn't even mentioned the incident since. That was Cloud for you, lots of pride.

She tried to avoid the Bailey and it was especially hard when you had a blond man leeching onto you all the way. She felt awkward. She also didn't want to cry anymore. That was where she met Axel and that was where he left her. The place held too many memories for her, both good and bad, all would bring her tears.

She sighed onto her pillow before shifting into the covers more comfortably. Her body felt so heavy, so tired. Tired from what she could not say. All she did within the past few days was wander around aimlessly and share an occasional conversation with passer bys such as Rinoa, Leon or Yuffie. She took in the suspicious looks of others as they eyed the blond man latching onto her with every step she made but somehow they seemed to know it was better not to ask.

Funny how this man was once avoiding her and now she couldn't get rid of him. She'd have to ask him to stop the nonsense tomorrow, or at least slow it down but for now, it was time to get whatever peaceful sleep her body would allow.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Until tomorrow Tifa"

Her fork made a loud unwelcoming clatter on her breakfast plate at his answer. _Tomorrow? It was too soon! Not tomorrow!_

"Tomorrow? B-but why?" Tifa clenched onto the tablecloth between her nervous fingers on her lap.

"This isn't our world Tifa. We can't stay here forever" As usual Cloud was calm and collected when he spoke. This only fueled her anger.

She palmed the table loudly in protest, "Oh now what's the rush Cloud! You were taking your time when I was looking for you!"

This seemed to punch Cloud in the gut as he gulped the lump in his throat uncomfortably. Still with arms crossed he stood firm in his decision.

"Tifa, I'm sorry. I made a decision to stop chasing Sephiroth and my darkness so that I could tend to the life I have in our world and to the children in the orphanage. I am sacrificing this for you-"

"Cloud, all I'm asking for is a little more time"

"The children need you"

"I just-"

"Tifa! You can't wait here forever for something that you don't know is coming back! You need to make a sacrifice if you're going to continue living on peacefully!" Cloud's raised stern voice caused her lips to pinch between her teeth. They hadn't spoke of his commitment to her and the family ever since he mentioned the thought of a child and now that it was subtly brought up, there seemed to be a thin line of patience between the two.

It made her angry that he so eagerly wanted to take her back to their world and move on. It made her angry that she really had no say as to whether she could stay or go because unlike her, he was able to travel through the realm because of his own darkness. She was angry because he wouldn't give her anymore time to wait.

What angered her the most was that he was right. Every painful word he said to her about returning to their world and waiting for something that may be pointless, he was right.

She ran out of words to defend herself. She ran out of options and he must've realized how helpless she felt at that moment because his hand reached out to brush aside her bangs covering her fear-coated eyes.

"Tifa, I just wanna protect you and give you whatever happiness you'll allow"

Tifa reached up and grabbed his fingers, brushing them against her eyes. He stiffened at her actions but didn't pull away. He felt the moisture in her eyes on his fingers.

"I know Cloud. I'm sorry for being so stubborn. All this time all I ever asked of you was to make me happy and now that you are, I'm just pushing you away. I guess the tables are turned"

He knew what she meant. He always pushed her away whenever she tried her hardest to please him and now she was doing it to him.

"I hear Sora was successful at defeating the remaining organization members and restoring peace to the worlds" Cloud was attempting to lighten the atmosphere. Had she been so locked away in the Inn or in her daze that she hadn't noticed the celebration and excitement of everyone because Sora had once again saved the worlds? She knew the answer to that.

"Really? I'm glad" She released his hand and he pulled away, getting up from his chair.

"We can return to our world tomorrow safely. Rumors say that Sora had found his friends and they are now living happily in their own world. Don't you want to do the same?"

Images of all her friends back at home flashed through her mind. Yuffie, Cid, Barrett, Marlene, Denzel, Vincent, Cait Sith, Red XIII and all the orphans pulling on her legs. She would give anything to have the children wrap their arms around her neck and welcome her back or to be back in her bar, passing drinks to her faithful customers. There was no place like home she had to agree. She had finally made the decision that tomorrow, she would move on.

She nodded, "Yes, I wanna do the same"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She didn't know how but her legs led her up to the rooftop of the Inn that night. She managed to sneak by Cloud and in her pajamas she rested on her knees as she stared up at the moon. She breathed in the surroundings of that world, one last time.

One last single tear slid down her cheek as she whispered, with all the meaning and emotion left in her heart.

"Axel, I'd give anything to see you one last time, even if it's the light in my heart. I will give myself into the darkness"

What a sin this love of hers was but she no longer cared…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It didn't take her long to pack some belongings. She didn't come to this world with any belongings in the first place but she managed to get attached to some things during her stay. She stuck the bundle of comfy covers from her Inn bed into her pack. The Inn Keeper said she didn't mind. She wished there was a way to pack Sea Salt ice cream but Cloud assured they'd pick some up on their visits. Rinoa gave her a pendant and Yuffie gave her a stuffed moogle. The Yuffie back home was just like the Yuffie here. It made her smile at what Yuffie's reaction would be if she knew she had a twin in an alternate world.

The elderly man blushed three shades of red as the brunette hugged him goodbye.

"Goodbye Merlin. Thanks for everything"

He fumbled with his glasses nervously, "O-oh w-why yes of course. It was n-no trouble at all"

Cloud waited for her outside the door until a familiar figure approached him and gave him a reassuring pat on his shoulder.

"How you holding up?" Leon asked his friendly rival.

Cloud nodded, "I think she's gonna be okay

Leon eyed Tifa inside, laughing along with the girls inside. He smiled, "Tifa's a strong woman. I think she'll make it through. Will you?"

Cloud turned his attention to Tifa as well but before he could answer Aerith appeared and waved at the both of them. "Just wanted to wish you well"

"You can come back with us if you like?"

"No thanks. I think I was put here in this world for a reason and if I'm still here, I think it's because somehow I'm still needed. I'm sure Zack will be fine watching over you guys in the life stream"

Just then Tifa came out, awkwardly meeting Aerith's eyes, the woman she had felt so compelled to compete with over the past few years. The woman that had shared a love for Cloud even in her death. Tifa's eyes widened in shock as Aerith rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her neck. Tifa hugged her back.

It was weird but at the same time, the warmth in her arms was relieving, almost motherly. Although she tried not to harbor any ill feelings towards Aerith, a small part of her always felt like it was her that ruffled the possible blooming relationship between her and her childhood friend. At the same time she couldn't be angry because she had loved her too as her friend and was also hurt when she died. No matter what happened, Tifa couldn't hate her for things that were beyond her control.

"Take care of yourself Aerith"

She was surprised when she felt Aerith's fingers clutch her tighter as she whispered into her ear like they were two gossiping girls sharing a secret.

"I feel the darkness in your heart. What you seek can be found there although you may have to make a great sacrifice"

It took a moment for her to register what Aerith had said to her. She blinked and stared blankly at Aerith now releasing her hug on her. She smiled widely masking her concern.

"You too Tifa"

It was then that she felt it. Within the depths of the darkness staining her heart, she felt it. It was throbbing. She looked up surprised and scared as Rinoa stepped out from Merlin's house. She too seemed to sense something.

"See with your heart," Rinoa reminded and Tifa obeyed.

Tifa closed her eyes in concentration as the others watched in anticipation. Cloud unfolded his arms beginning to sense what Aerith did. He was surprised that he didn't sense it before. Leon shook his shoulder, both knowing what would probably happen next and Cloud nodded in defeat.

"That damn Nobody is a manipulator after all"

Within seconds Tifa's belongings crashed to the floor as she darted away from them into the direction of the Market Place.

"Goodbye Tifa…"

Those were Cloud's last words before he walked toward the opposite direction she had ran in with the belongings she had left behind. Maybe she'd come back for them someday. He didn't fight it. He didn't try to stop her. It was just like she said. The tables were turned. Tifa was jumping into her darkness just as he had done before except unlike her, he wouldn't jump in after her. It was better this way.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fresh tears she had held in for days streaked freely down her cheeks. Surely she had never shed so many tears in her life until she came upon this world. She had been such a strong willed woman until this world and its events had broke her free to release her emotions that were always bottled up.

_No, it can't be- is it really-_

The wind blew past her hair as she ran as fast as she could towards the Market Place. She felt it, so strong, so clear.

It pumped in her heart so loudly it was as if her ears and everyone else's could hear it. It pulsed through her, his presence resurfacing and burning more livelier than ever.

Her eyes went wide as she heard it, a voice inside of her. It was his voice.

_I'm waiting, in the depths of your darkness…_

She couldn't explain how she was hearing this inside of her and she didn't care. She was just glad she heard it. It almost made her legs weak but she forced herself to keep running to the source of this powerful presence.

People began to gather and whisper at the brunette dashing through the crowds of shoppers and into the center of the Market Place where Rinoa and Leon had reunited. Funny how this seemed to be a popular spot for that sort of thing.

Arms raised into the air, Tifa looked up into the bright day light sky, a new glimmer of hope now burning wildly inside of her. She yelled with all her might.

"Axel!"

It was then that a black figure emerged from the realm opening from the sky. The cloaked figure, hooded in mystery hovered above her, glaring down at her. She looked up at him, fists clenching in hopes that this was who she thought it was and everything that was happening wasn't just a dream.

As the figure lowered down gracefully and dramatically, Tifa brought her trembling fingers to her lips. "Is it really-" She could barely find the words.

Finally he landed and everyone in the Market Place seemed to come to a halt to watch the scene. Tifa cautiously approached the figure, timidly lifting a hand to grab his hood. He didn't pose any threat or move to stop her. Taking a deep breath as she prepared herself for anything, she slowly began to unveil the mystery man.

She almost fell to her knees at the first signs of fiery red hair but his strong arms caught around her body kept her from falling. Her fingers clutched onto his collar as her blurred vision tried to focus on his familiar green eyes.

"H-how- where-"

"I'm not sure. I think it's because you still believed in my existence"

Tifa shook her head as his hand reached up to hold her face. "I thought you were gone. I thought I'd never see you again. Last night I-"

"You called for me in the darkness. You said you'd sacrifice your own light"

She nodded as her fingers rose to his face. She began to trace lightly over the edges of his jaw. He closed his eyes, allowing her to test his flesh if it was warm and real. Her fingers traced over the lines beneath his eyes and down the bridge of his nose.

"That's a pretty big sacrifice Tifa. This won't come without a price," Axel whispered between the both of them.

"I know. I'm already prepared for that. I'm not worried because I have you to be my light in the darkness"

Axel smiled. God she loved that smile. She missed it so much she just wanted to kiss it right off of his face.

Letting his smile become serious he let his lips lean down to meet hers. Surprised gasps and conversations buzzed around them. Axel raised his fingers in the air and with the snap of his fingers, a black cloak identical to his appeared on her body. She was now giving herself into the darkness, into the realm she'd go with him.

Still interlocking their lips in a passionate kiss he pulled her hood up over her head and pulled his up as well. Both figures now hooded in mystery rose up into the air towards the open realm floating in the sky.

"Into the darkness we go babe. Hold onto my hand"

"Gladly"

The two black figures disappeared into the realm, never to be seen or heard of in that world again except through rumors and in the darkest corners of night.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Optional finishing lines (may ruin the seriousness and intensity of the ending so feel free to disregard but I couldn't resist)**

"Oww Tifa what was that for?"

Axel rubbed his pain throbbing shoulder from where she had mercilessly punched him. Tifa also decided that a fistful of sand at his chest would also suffice as punishment. He guessed the moonlight on her favorite island didn't ease her anger at him.

"Don't ever do that again, you scared the blazes out of me"

"Ok I'm sorry, what can I do to make it up to you?" he shifted his body closer to her as they sat in the cool grains of sand together.

Tifa eyed him roguishly. "Hmm, show me how real you are again because I'm still not sure" She beckoned him with her finger and he seemed to give in.

Axel gave her his signature jester-like grin, wide as ever as he pulled her body to his and leaned his lips to graze over hers lightly like a feather. He was such a tease. It sent familiar and welcoming shivers up her spine and she loved it. He hummed with approval between their almost touching lips.

"Burn me baby"

**-------------------------------------------------------------**

**I couldn't resist that little optional piece I put at the end. I thought it would be cute. I honestly like both endings a lot. The first one because of all the intense emotion and the last because of the cuteness and fluff. I'm gonna miss you guys and once again thank you so much for reading this story. Until next time, keep Axel luvin!**


End file.
